SECT. IV.]

DISMISSION. STATE OF THE CHURCH.

137

A sermon was delivered before the congregation assembled on the occasion, by the Rev. Mr. Cone of Bristol. It is remembered as having been solemn and affecting, causing many tears to flow.

Thus was terminated the ministry of Mr. Robinson, after a duration of forty-one years, two months, and eleven days. The Rev. David L. Ogden, his successor, was ordained October 31, 1821; and dismissed September 13, 1836: The present pastor, Rev. Elisha C. Jones, was ordained June 28, 1837.

Whatever may have been the motives by which the majority of the society were influenced, the members of the church clung to their aged pastor with strong feelings of attachment. He had laid the heads of many parents and households in their graves; he had baptized many children, who had grown up to fill their parents' places; and there now remained few members of the church, who had not been brought into it by his instrumentality, as their spiritual father. Their attachment and sympathy were to him a strong consolation in the few remaining years of his pilgrimage.

The history and increase of the church during the first thirteen years of the present century, retained the general character of ordinary prosperity, like that described in the preceding period. In only one year, 1805, were there no admissions. In the other years the number varied from one to ten. But in 1814 and the following years, a new spirit was awakened; and there were tokens of God's presence. In the autumn of that year seventeen new members were admitted; in 1815, twenty-eight; in 1816, fifteen ; and in 1817, fourteen. In the next three years. 1818-20, only thirteen in all were received. But in August, 1821, after the dismission of Mr. Robinson, and nearly three months before the settlement of his successor, thirty-four persons were received on profession, by the Rev. Mr. Cone of Bristol. In December of the same year, the Rev. Mr. Ogden, a month after his ordination, admitted fourteen more; making in all forty-eight admitted during that year. All these were persons who had been mostly trained

under the preaching of Mr. Robinson; and may in strict justice be regarded as fruits of his ministry. The same is true, in a more general sense, as to the thirty-nine admitted in 1822, and the twenty-five received in 1823. And there is the highest authority for saying, "that the subsequent growth and prosperity of this church were probably based, in a good measure, upon the sound doctrinal knowledge, in which he had established the minds of the people in his day."*

Such, in general, were the fruits of his later ministry. It is interesting to look over the lists of admissions, following powerful revivals, in 1831, 1833, 1834, and even 1838; and observe how many names they contain of persons, and not a few of them leading men, who had long sat under the teaching of their former pastor.

*See the letter of the Rev. E. C. Jones, the present pastor, in Sect. VI.

SECTION V.

HIS LAST YEARS, DEATH, AND CHARACTER.

1821-1825.

HAVING been thus relieved from all the active duties of the ministry, Mr. Robinson continued to reside upon his homestead, during the few remaining years of his life. There was, at one time, some talk of his removing to New Haven, where his second son was then in business; but it was probably well that nothing came of it. In the autumn of the same year, 1821, he was also relieved from the care and supervision of the farm by the return of his youngest son from college; who thenceforth took the chief management of all the out of door affairs.

To his successor, the Rev. Mr. Ogden, he gave a cordial welcome and support. The latter thus writes: "It is an old proverb, that dismissed ministers make bad parishioners. I do not believe that it is founded in truth. At any rate, Mr. Robinson was no example of it. He was not a man of great professions, without action; but he generally did more than he said; being remarkably sincere and unostentatious. As an instance of this, I learned that he went around among the people, to induce them to help me in building the house, which I afterwards occupied. But he never told me a word respecting that fact."

Much of his time he passed in the open air, in driving in his light wagon about the town; often also extending his drives to the adjacent towns. When at home he continued to take pleasure in cultivating his garden; and occupied himself daily in the smaller domestic cares around the house and

its premises. He also read much; and made himself extensively acquainted with modern literature. In all his duties as a member of society, and in connection with the church, he was punctual and exemplary; and still attended regularly the meetings of the Hartford South Association, to which he belonged.

The

His infirmities continued gradually to increase. dropsical symptoms, and especially the swelling of the feet and lower limbs, and the difficulty of breathing, became more and more marked, and occasioned much distress. He was conscious that his strength and life were thus wearing away; and there were times, when he expected that the 'silver cord' would soon be loosed. In all these trials he manifested a spirit of entire resignation to the divine will. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," was the language of his conversation and of his letters to his sons.

Near the close of 1824, Mr. Robinson was called to endure his last great domestic affliction, in the death of his wife; who now for thirty-four and a half years had been the cherished companion and stay of his life. She had never enjoyed firm health; and had suffered much for many years from intense headache and general derangement of the digestive organs. I was at this time resident in Andover, Mass. and had visited home during the autumn, when she was quite feeble. Her health appeared to mend until the middle of December, when, having lain down on Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 15th) for rest, she was found on her bed helpless, delirious, almost speechless, and affected with strong nervous agitations of the body and limbs. The physician regarded it as an attack of fever. The medicines administered had a favourable operation; she regained her reason and speech, though she remained very feeble. There were at the time several cases of an epidemic in the town, known as the "southern fever;" and her disease was thought by some to be of the same type.

The symptoms continued to improve until Saturday. On that evening she became worse, and felt her end approach

ing. Taking gently the hand of her daughter, who sat by her bedside, she said: "You and I must soon part." Soon afterwards she requested that her husband might be called; and after conversing briefly with him, and expressing her resignation to the will of God, she desired him to pray with her.

She continued to fail; and between one and two o'clock in the morning thought herself dying. She spoke a little; but was drowsy. Being asked by her husband, if he should pray with her, she answered, Yes; and said it would probably be the last prayer in which she should ever join on earth. When asked if she had any message for her eldest son, she said: “Tell him to do all the good he can in the world.” She repeated the text, "The wicked have no bands in their death." About four o'clock she sunk into a deathlike stupor, from which she could not be roused; this lasted for four hours.

On Sunday morning her son from New Haven arrived, and with him Dr. Ives of that city. But there was no longer any relief from medicine. The voice of her son seemed partially to rouse her; and she knew him. From that time she lingered, with alternations of stupor and brief consciousness, often apparently in extreme pain, until half-past ten o'clock on Monday morning, when she expired, Dec. 20, 1824, aged sixty-three years and eleven months.

Her funeral took place the next day at the meeting-house. A large concourse attended; several ministers from the adjacent towns were present; and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Porter of Farmington, from Job vii. 1, first clause.

These sad tidings were of course communicated to me at Andover, chiefly in letters from my father; but in consequence of the bad roads and delay of the mails, I did not hear of her illness until after her funeral had taken place. The shock to her husband was at first stunning; and his earliest letters, as is not unfrequent in like circumstances, seemed to express little emotion. But in a letter written three weeks later, after he had come more fully to realize his loss, a gush of feeling broke forth from the very depths of his soul. After re