and 20: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel unto every creature. And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them and confirming the word, with signs following. Amen.'-Mr. Fulton having satisfied the Presbytery respecting his soundness in the faith, by answering the questions of the Formula, was set apart by prayer and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Mr. Pringle delivered an address suitable to the design of the mission. The Rev. Mr. Alexander Allan, of Cupar-Angus, preached in the afternoon, from Acts xxviii. 28: 'Be it known, therefore, unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.' Seventeen ministers were present. The assembly was so large that the meetinghouse could not contain a fourth part of their number. The whole work was gone about in the open air, with the most becoming decency and reverence."

Messrs. Fulton and Armstrong sailed for America on the 8th of August following their ordination, and arrived in New York on the 13th of October. They proceeded on without delay to the object of their mission. There being at that early period no regular public conveyance across the Allegheny Mountains, our missionaries traveled on foot from Carlisle, Pa. to Pittsburgh. When they reached Pittsburgh, the winter was about setting in, on which account, it was judged inexpedient for the brethren to attempt descending the Ohio river until the succeeding spring. They, therefore, remained in the neighborhood of Pittsburgh during the winter of 1797-8, and were employed in preaching in different congregations in the vicinity, during that time.

Early in the spring, the two brethren proceeded to the object of their mission. They descended the Ohio river to Limestone, now Maysville, in Kentucky, in one of the ordinary but rude boats, then the only kind of vessel used in conveying emigrants and merchandize, or produce down that stream, on which hundreds of majestic steamers are now continually plying. Kentucky, being at that time, the great point in the west to which the stream of emigration was flowing, our missionaries readily found others preparing for the same destination. They united with a family or two of emigrants in fitting out a boat for the voyage, and also performed their part of the labor in managing the boat.

On the 28th of November, 1798, after their arrival in Kentucky, in pursuance of the instructions and authority committed to them, the two brethren constituted a Presbytery, under the name of "The Associate Presbytery of Kentucky,"

which name was afterwards changed to that of "The Associate Presbytery of Miami," in consequence of both the brethren, with the principal part of the people under their Presbyterial care, removing from the State of Kentucky, and one of them, with a large proportion of the people, settling on the Miami river, Ohio. This removal was occasioned by the prevalence of slavery in the State of Kentucky. These brethren being conscientiously opposed to both the principle and the practice of slavery, and the Associate Synod of North America having judicially condemned that evil, they, with the great majority of the people adhering to them, judged that the most effectual way to free themselves from any participation in that sin, was to leave a community where it was legally sanctioned. But to return to Mr. Fulton in particular.

An extensive field for the dissemination of the gospel soon appeared in Kentucky, and frequent applications for supply of gospel ordinances were made to the Presbytery. Calls for their constant labors were soon received by each of the brethren. Mr. Fulton accepted the call from the congregation of Drennon's creek, in Henry county, where he labored with distinguished diligence and success for the space of seventeen years. The greater part, however, of his congregation, for the cause already assigned, removed to the State of Indiana, and located themselves near Madison, Jefferson county, where Mr. Fulton himself was removed by the authority of Presbytery, in November, 1815.

Here also, for the short time that he was spared to his people, the blessing of Zion's King appeared to attend his labors, and his congregations were rapidly increasing in numbers. But before three years had fully expired, a fever terminated hist labors and his life. He died September 10th, 1818, in the sixty-third year of his age.

His death was attended with some circumstances of peculiar trial to his afflicted family. Within a few hours of his death, Mrs. Fulton gave birth to a son, who was named after his father, and is now prosecuting his studies.

His remains lie buried in the church-yard at Carmel, the principal branch of his charge. He left a widow, two daughters, and the son above mentioned. The children survive at this time. His wife was afterwards united in marriage to Col. Morrow, now of South Hanover, la., but has lately deceas ed; his eldest daughter became married to the Rev. James Adams, of Massie's creek, Ohio; his other daughter and son, yet unmarried, reside in the neighborhood of Xenia, Ohio.

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From the manuscripts which Mr. Fulton left behind, it appears not to have been his practice to write out his sermons in full, yet he usually prepared notes containing the ticulars of his discourse, with most of his illustrations. The application is generally wanting in his Mss. notes. The specimen herewith given, appears as fully written as any found among his notes, the abruptness of which, in its conclusions, must be obvious to every reader. It was first preached at a private house, near Madison, Ia., when one adult and five children were baptized; and although it has to appear under the disadvantage of being but an unfinished draft or outline, yet the simplicity, both of sentiment and style, the solid doctrine which it exhibits, and the fervent piety which it breathes, give it a just claim to a place in this volume, and cannot fail to commend it as a healthful and palatable repast to all readers who have a taste for "the sincere milk of the word."

The description given of the intellectual powers of both the missionaries, by the Rev. A. Pringle, of Perth, Scotland, in a letter to a friend in this country, was especially applicable to Mr. Fulton:-"Some," says he, "are perhaps endowed with more splendid talents; but their qualifications are of the solid, permanent, and useful kind-though they do not flash so much at first view, they improve and grow upon acquaintance; and will stand a winter's blast."

SERMON,

BY THE REV. ANDREW FULTON.

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." (2 Pet. ii. 4.)

The first intimation that man had of God's boundless, everlasting love, was by promise. Our first parents were created perfectly holy and happy. But in that upright state man did not long continue; for through the temptation of Satan he fell into sin and misery from which he never could have recovered himself. Immediately after the fall, God having called our first parents before him; having arraigned and condemned them, concludes the august scene with an intimation of his love made by promise. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel." The promises which God has since given his people, of which the first was a summary, are very many, great and glorious, as the apostle declares in the words of the text, "Hereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." The subject concerning which the apostle here speaks is promises. This is a most pleasant, a most delightful theme, especially if it be considered that the promises here referred to, are promises made by God to us. It might have been expected that we would have heard nothing from God except threatenings, because we have all transgressed his law. And then, instead of looking for glory, blessedness and life eternal, there would have been nothing but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to devour us as adversaries. But there are given us by that God against whom we have sinned exceeding great and precious promises. A promise is a declaration made by one being or person unto another of the future bestowment of some good. When evil is declared it is not a promise but a threatening. It is not one promise only that God hath made to sinners, but many; and all these contain blessings most excellent in their nature. Hence the promises given to us are here said to be exceeding

great and precious. These two epithets are used by the apostle to set before us the inconceivable excellency of the promises. They are exceedingly great and precious. A promise is said to be great and precious, when the thing promised is of very great value. The promises which God hath given us are exceeding great and precious, because the blessings which he hath promised to bestow are intrinsically valuable and to be estimated above all price.

What I propose, in speaking a little further from this subject, through divine aid, is, in the first place, to offer some observations more generally concerning the nature of the promises and then, in the second place, to mention some of their excellences, in order that you may perceive them to be exceeding great and precious.

Observe concerningt he nature of the promises

1. All the promises of life and salvation made unto us in the Scriptures are to be considered as belonging to the new covenant, the covenant of grace. God entered into a covenant with the first Adam, which is commonly called a Covenant of Works. Now every true and proper covenant consists of a condition and a promise, something to be done by the one party, and something promised by the other. The first covenant had also a promise given. It was given upon condition of perfect compliance with God's holy will. But Adam transgressed the commandment of God and thereby forfeited all right to the promise, and entailed upon himself and his posterity the curse. So that by the old covenant there are no promises given us: by the works of the law no power is left us of obtaining salvation. But there is a new covenant, commonly called the Covenant of Grace, that was made from eternity, between the Father and the Son, and which stands fast for ever. By this covenant alone we are to look for life and salvation. The exceeding great and precious promises that are given unto us, are the promises of this Covenant of Grace. This covenant cannot be broken as the first was, because the parties contracting are the true and eternal God. The Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, has completely performed the conditions of it, and therefore the promises are sure to all the seed. He has obeyed the law and satisfied the justice of God in our room and place. He has entered into heaven itself as our great Forerunner, and is making continual intercession that the promised blessings may be bestowed upon all those that were given him by the Father, when the covenant was made. "Father, I will," says he, in