The following year (1858) the long anticipated union was consummated, resulting, as church unions usually do, in adding another to the number of divisions in the Church of Jesus Christ. In that memorable struggle of the few against the many, Mr. Dickson remained faithful to his convictions of truth and duty. He had originally embraced the principles which he publicly professed after a diligent and careful examination of them and a full persuasion of their truth, and was not disposed to yield them now, unless convinced that his persuasion was ill-founded. To one who could preserve his equanimity amid the exciting scenes of that occasion, there was little temptation to give up well-grounded views; yet many who came up to that meeting of Synod determined to oppose union on what they deemed lax principles, as stated in the Basis, were drawn into the vortex and carried down by the current. A protest against the decision of the majority, in consummating the union with the Associate Reformed Church, was drawn up and entered by the minority, accompanied with a declination of authority, and claiming for themselves the name, privileges and rights of the Associate Synod.

After the consummation of the union the protesters did not meet immediately in the capacity of a Synod, but agreed to meet on a future day on call. This call was afterward published, and the remnant members of the Associate Synod met at Canonsburg, Pa., in October of that year. Mr. Dickson, as chairman of a committee appointed at that meeting, drew up a paper containing "Reasons for Perpetuating the Organization of the Associate Synod of North America," which was adopted, and is a clear and cogent exhibition of the reasons which influenced the protesters to remain in a state of separation from the new organization.

The great majority of Mr. Dickson's congregation remained steadfast, and adhered with him to their former profession. There were some, however, who could not resist the temptation to throw off what they regarded as restraints of their former profession, and espouse the more liberal principles of the new Church. Their prospects for maintaining a separate organization were not very flattering, and in the month of December they drew up a new Basis of Union, addressed "to the Rev. James Dickson and the Session of the Associate Congregation of Portland," in which, after declaring that they were free to go into the union, and felt it their duty to do so, yet they still desired to remain in the congregation, if they could be permitted to do this, holding their "present union views," and if the Session would relax its discipline with regard to “occasional hearing," on the principle of mutual forbearance. This new basis proved no more acceptable to Mr. Dickson and his Session than the larger Basis had been, and the result was that it was promptly rejected.

At the meeting of Synod in the spring of 1862, Mr. Dickson was chosen unanimously to the office of Professor of Theology, a work for which he was eminently qualified by his accurate knowledge of systematic theology and his general acquaintance with its kindred studies. The duties of this office he discharged with fidelity and acceptance until the time of his death. An accumulation of labor had no doubt an influence in undermining his constitution, yet he never relaxed his diligence. "If I know my own heart," he feelingly writes to a friend, "I am willing to spend and be spent for the sake of our little remnant. God seems to be bringing us through the furnace may it prove to be in love, that we may learn patience, resignation and humility. Let us with David cry, Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Our old, intelligent and devoted members are being rapidly called home, and who

shall fill their place in the Church on earth? Alas! the prospect is dark; and we are disposed to say, with disconsolate Jacob, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me. Yet the event proved that these trials were for Israel's good, to preserve a seed alive. And it not be so in our case? Nearly five years may have now elapsed since we, for conscience' sake, undertook to continue the Associate Church, when all men forsook it; and even yet the prospects are as dark as ever. We have looked for light, but behold obscurity. This is for the trial of our faith. Let us trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon our God."

Mr. Dickson was a laborious student. So far as the performance of other duties permitted, he diligently obeyed Paul's injunction to Timothy, "Give attendance to reading." His mind was amply furnished with a store of knowledge drawn from all quarters. Resulting from careful, attentive study, and a deep regard for truth, he possessed an unusually accurate memory, and from these stores he could draw, as occasion demanded, with surprising readiness. Few men, not actively engaged in the public employment of a statesman, had a more accurate knowledge of the science of government or greater political abilities. He was diligent to acquire knowledge from all legitimate sources, and yet succeeded in making everything bear upon the great work on his hands, studying to adorn the house of God with these Egyptian jewels. In social intercourse he was somewhat reserved; but an intimate acquaintance opened the fountain of social feeling, when he became a most genial as well as instructive companion.

On the 14th of June, 1839, Mr. Dickson was united in marriage with Miss Isabella Graham, youngest daughter of Mr. Andrew Graham, of Baltimore, Md. They had ten children, two of whom died in infancy. The remaining children, three sons and four daughters, together with their mother, still survive him. Some days after the death of his daughter, in a letter to a friend-the last, perhaps, ever written by him-he says: "With a sad heart I sit down to inform you of the death of our daughter Margaret. On the evening of your departure she was taken with chilliness, complaining of the coldness of the room, though to the rest of us it appeared unduly warm. I then remarked that she was likely taking the fever, but she soon arose and seemed well. The next day it became obvious that my suspicions were right, as she had considerable fever. The doctor was called, and pronounced it bilious remitting fever; but his efforts to arrest it proved unavailing, and it continued night and day. On Sabbath evening, after dark, her mother came to me weeping, and said Margaret was going to die. This impression she had from what the child had said and her manner of saying it. She had asked her mother whether, if she should die, she would go to heaven? and then immediately added, "Yes, I will die and go to heaven; prepare, mother, to meet me there, where I will be no more sick.' I then went to her and asked her if she knew who died for sinners? She looked up affectionately, and, throwing her arm about my neck, said, 'Jesus; oh, I feel so well now, I am going to die and go to heaven.' Fearing congestion of the brain, I ran for the doctor, and on my return she looked up and said, God is calling me.' During the night she became delirious, and continued in this state until, on Saturday evening, at half-past seven, she breathed her last."

His daughter Margaret died October 14. On the morning of the next day-Sabbath-she was buried. After the funeral, notwithstanding the painful circumstances, he conducted public worship in the congregation as usual. The exercises were introduced by an exposition of Ps. cxl. 7-13.

He seemed to have a personal realization in this trying hour of the Psalmist's experience, who in the midst of trials could sweetly sing, in the exercise of a living faith:

He then preached from Mal. iii. 10: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." In the afternoon he discoursed from Hosea vi. 4-7. The exercises were solemn and deeply impressive, and this day's labor proved to be the closing scene in his public life. More than a quarter of a century before he had begun his labors among this people in a sermon on the solemn admonition of our Lord (Luke xvii. 32), "Remember Lot's wife;" and he concludes his work by calling their attention to the pleadings of God with a people who had failed to improve the means of grace with which they had been favored.

During the week his health gave way, and ere the return of the Sabbath he was unfitted for its accustomed employments. His physicians pronounced it at once a case of typhoid fever, and in spite of their efforts he gradually sank. After many days of illness it became apparent that he had now wellnigh reached the termination of his earthly pilgrimage. By order of attendant physicians, everything that would have a tendency to produce mental excitement was strictly forbidden. As a result of this, comparatively little is known as to his spiritual exercises in his last moments. Some time before he was called away, his wife, on entering the room in the morning, inquired of his welfare. He quietly remarked that he felt pretty well, and added, 'I think I would be more comfortable if I were at home." Fearing that he was laboring under aberration of mind, she began to assure him that he was now at home and among his own family; he again repeated his remark, and she then desisted. The next day, a friend calling to see him, he observed, with much apparent composure, "I think this present sickness is intimately connected with home." It then became evident that his remarks did not result from disordered mental action, but were an expression of his calm persuasion that, as a wanderer among strangers, he was soon to be admitted into the society of his divine Master and to find a home where the "inhabitant shall not say, I am sick."

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On the morning of November 8, 1865, his spirit was released from its earthly tabernacle, and he quietly expired. The following day his remains were committed to the grave. The affectionate pastor, the loving husband and the tender father was gathered to his grave in peace. The congregation who, twenty-eight years ago, had assembled on the 9th day of November to witness the solemn service of his ordination to the work of the ministry, by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, assembled mournfully on the 9th of November to perform the last sad offices to the remains of their beloved pastor. His trials are over, his work is finished.

"The pains of death are past,

Labor and sorrow cease,

And, life's long warfare closed at last,
His soul is found in peace.

Soldier of Christ! well done;
Praise be thy new employ;
And, while eternal ages run,

Rest in thy Saviour's joy."

Removed from the scenes of his earthly labors at that very moment when those labors seemed most needed by the Church, we trust he has entered upon his reward above. "Those who knew him most loved him best; and all who knew him at all felt that the secret of the Lord was with him." "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."

ASSOCIATE REFORMED SYNOD OF NEW YORK.

THIS body is composed of two Presbyteries, being made up of those who declined the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed Church which in 1858 formed the United Presbyterian Church of North America. The ministers are as follows:

THE SYNOD

OF THE

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

THE THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE SYNOD OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA met, according to adjournment, in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rochester, N. Y., May 23, 1866, and was constituted with prayer. The following were

Members of the Thirty-Seventh Session of the Synod.

Philadelphia Jas. McKnight.
TOTAL, 94.

DELEGATES FROM CORRESPONDING BODIES.

REV. JOHN GASTON, Reformed Protestant Dutch Church.

REV. ANDREW G. WYLIE, General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.