Lord Haddo was at Luxor (or Thebes) when, on the 11th of January, 1861, the sad tidings of his father's death reached him. His grief was so great that his health suffered severely. For nights he could not sleep. And now he for ever relinquished the use of his brush. In each of his letters to his father he used to enclose a little sketch in water-colour of places and objects around him, but now he laid aside his pencil sadly, saying, "What is the use? There is no one to whom my drawings can give pleasure now; no one to send them to any more." Nearly all his letters to his father contained also some text of Scripture which he had found specially precious to himself. But, in the midst of his sorrow, he had much consolation in believing that this beloved father had built his hopes for eternity on the same foundation on which his own rested. During the early part of this second visit to Egypt he had sent his wife home, partly for her own health, and partly that she might be beside his father. And she found that the Word of God had become so precious to the aged Earl that "if at any hour of the day she offered to read to him, and asked what book he would prefer, his answer invariably was, 'The Bible.'”

On the 1st of May, Lord Aberdeen returned to Alexandria. This time he had gained nothing in health from the Nile, but a fortnight of the sea breezes at Alexandria somewhat braced him for his homeward journey. In the work of evangelization in Egypt he felt the deepest interest during the remainder of his life. Through the American Mission he gave funds for the support of a native preacher. And his heart was made glad by hearing of blessed fruit resulting from his own labours there. One case is especially interesting. When at the nearest point to Fayoum, an oasis in the desert at some distance from the Nile, they found the river getting low, as it was late in the season, and they feared to wait. But Lord Aberdeen could not bear the thought of doing nothing for this place. So a Syrian schoolmaster who accompanied them was despatched to it with a donkey-load of books, and returned on the fourth day, having disposed of a few. They scarcely expected to hear anything of the result, and their surprise and delight was therefore great "when," says Lady Aberdeen, "the following year, while in Scotland, we heard that a monk had left his convent there, and travelled all the long distance to Cairo, in order to place himself under the instructions of the missionaries, in consequence of having read one of these very Bibles, and then, himself enlightened, had returned to the convent to enlighten others." And so successful was he that Mr. Lansing states "that a letter was written by such of the monks as were zealous for the traditions of the fathers' to the Coptic patriarch at Cairo, stating (no doubt with exaggeration) that sixty families in Madineh El Fayoum had become Protestants, and petitioning him to interpose with a bull of excommunication to crush the new sect."

When Lord Aberdeen reached London in the end of May, 1861, he was still so great an invalid that he had little hope of ever being able to go much out, and none of being well enough to reside on his estates in Scotland. He went, in the first place, to his old home at Blackheath, which the Queen kindly permitted him to retain for a short time. But it was his intention to take up his permanent abode in Argyll House, a mansion in London left to

him by his father. And, anxious to have Christian work so near him that even with his enfeebled health he could attend to it, he resolved to establish an industrial school under his own roof, where boys should be fed, and taught various trades in addition to the necessary book learning. For this purpose alterations were made in the house, and a master engaged, but the Earl's plans being afterwards changed, the design was not carried out. When Argyll House was sold, however, he retained the stables and had them fitted up for a Ragged-school. And during the short time this mansion belonged to him, scenes were witnessed there very unlike those usually seen in such places-gatherings for Christian service of those who were so poor that they had not decent clothing with which to go to church, and also mothers' meetings, conducted by Christian ladies in the neighbourhood.

In the summer of 1861 Lord Aberdeen went to Scotland, and there his health improved so greatly that he determined to sell his London mansion, and permanently to reside at Haddo House. Space will not permit minor details regarding the life of this Christian nobleman in the midst of his vast estates. Here, as before, his motto was, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And faithfully he sought to give practical effect to the resolution. Even yet, with all the cares imposed by his exalted position, he found time to instruct personally the younger men servants of his household, and to visit the sick poor in his neighbourhood, talking to them and praying by their bedsides in a manner which they did not soon forget.

For the district around Haddo House he employed a colporteur, who came to him at stated intervals to talk over the progress of his work. He also sought and obtained the assistance of the ministers of various denominations around him. Whenever and by whomsoever Christ was preached he rejoiced therein. A devoted young relative resided with him for some time who preached in barns or school-rooms, or wherever people could be assembled to hear the Gospel. Lord Aberdeen used to accompany him on these occasions, often hurrying away from dinner, and, to the risk of his health, taking a cold dark ride to their humble place of meeting.

When spending a few months in Edinburgh in the spring of 1862, he availed himself of an opportunity offered to testify publicly to that Saviour who was so precious to him. The occasion was one of a series of Evangelistic meetings which were held in the Assembly Hall of the Free Church of Scotland, and at which laymen as well as ministers were in the habit of speaking. 66I preached yesterday," he writes to his wife, "to 2,000 people, and found it much easier than preaching to my children and servants at home. I must take care, like Paul, not to be myself a castaway."

As to his large property his sense of being only a steward was ever awake. "We ought to ask ourselves," he used to say, "not how much we must give, but how much we must keep; thinking how we can deny ourselves, and how many things we can do without, and then, after providing for really necessary expenses, giving away the rest."

In the end of 1862 his eldest son came of age, and one of the ways in which the Earl signalised the event was by making a present of a bound copy

of the "Pilgrim's Progress," "with an inscription in gilt letters stating the occasion of its being given," to each one of his tenants. There were about a thousand copies prepared for this purpose. In the beginning of the next year his eldest daughter was married to the Hon. Walter Scott. And it was with a thankful heart that this Christian father could say on the occasion that his daughter and her intended husband do not hesitate to avow, on this their wedding-day, their intention of devoting themselves and all that they have to the service of the Lord Jesus."

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In 1863 the interest of British Christians was much excited by the case of Manuel Matamoros, a Spaniard, who had been converted to Protestantism, and been the means of bringing others to the knowledge of a pure Gospel. He and his fellow-confessors were for this cause now lying in dungeons in Granada, and sentenced to nine years penal servitude. In various countries of Europe a strong feeling was awakened on their behalf, and it was resolved that deputations should be sent from these countries conjointly to petition the Queen of Spain for a remission, or, at least, a mitigation of their sentence. The late Sir Culling Eardley took a leading part in the matter, and Lord Aberdeen put himself at once into correspondence with him and offered to form one of the English deputation, and start, feeble as his health was, at the shortest notice. Not that he valued his own personal influence highly, but he said, “The Spaniards know the names of but few English noblemen, and care little, generally, about them; but my father's name is known and honoured all over Europe, and therefore my going will be of use." For this purpose he left home on the 8th of May, and reached Madrid on the 20th. The object of the deputation was attained; Matamoros and the other prisoners had their sentence changed to banishment, all that, considering the government they had to deal with, their friends could have hoped to obtain for them.

In the beginning of June Lord Aberdeen got back to London, and took his seat in the House of Lords. Immediately after, Mr. Barber, a City missionary employed by him, relates that he "visited with him ten or twelve sick people, till he became so fatigued that at the last house, where a poor widow lived in the upper story, he was obliged to sit down on the stairs, and sent Mr. Barber to request her to come to him there. He then spoke to her most kindly, bidding her sit by him on the step and tell him her story."

On his return to Haddo, early in June, his family were delighted with the apparent improvement in his health. This continued through the summer months, but in September a change for the worse was visible. In October he went to Aberdeen to meet the Queen, when she stayed there to inaugurate the statue to the Prince Consort, and was so exhausted by the journey that he was laid up for some days after his return home.

But while the flesh failed the spirit was renewed day by day. His friends observed in him "a ripening in the Christian character, as if preparatory for his translation to the heavenly world. From the time of his return from Spain, in the summer of 1863, his expositions at family prayer seemed to grow more and more spiritual, and his habits of private devotion were more and more frequent."

His missionary from London, Mr. Barber, visited him in the August of this year, and relates how, when driving with him in his carriage one day, he had told him the details of the conversion and Christian death of a man who had been brought under the sound of the Gospel through his instrumentality, supported by Lord Aberdeen. "His Lordship lay down in the carriage, and having covered his face with his cloak remained so for at least a mile. Then, rising up, he said with emotion,' One soul so saved is worth more than all that God has given me, and He has given me much.""

Through all these winter months there was increasing weakness, but neither he nor his family appear to have apprehended that it was unto death. The 28th of February was the last Sunday on which he was able to give an exposition of his own. The first few verses of the third chapter of the first epistle of John were chosen by him--"We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." "And his remarks were so delightful that it seemed as if he had already a foretaste of the joy there spoken of."

The history of his last few days we give chiefly in Lady Aberdeen's words :"On Saturday, the 19th of March, he attended to various applications made to him in the forenoon, and instructed one of his menservants (' who has since died in the Lord') in the evening. It was the last day he left his bed. His eyes looked sunken, but with a calm and peaceful expression. On the Sunday morning following, he said he had slept well and felt better, and did not wish any one to stay away from church on his account. I remained with him, however,” adds Lady Aberdeen, "and he spoke again about having been irritable on Friday, and said that it lay heavy on his conscience. He also exhorted me against the natural tendency to saying Peace! peace!' and endeavouring only to please, and be kind to people instead of trying to save their souls. He said, 'We must try more than we have ever done hitherto to bring souls to Jesus.' He then asked me for a pencil to mark a verse of a hymn on which his mind was resting. It was this:

'In vain the trembling conscience secks
Some solid ground to rest upon:

With long despair the spirit breaks,

Till we apply to Christ alone.'

About twelve o'clock he expressed his wish to be left alone for private prayer, saying, as I left the room, May God Almighty bless us all!' In the afternoon he remarked, regarding the words' Account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation,' I suppose that just means that God is determined to save us, and that all we have to say is, Wonderful!' And then he repeated to himself once or twice, Free grace! free grace!' Soon after this a sort of faintness came on, and the shadow of death seemed to pass over his face. That evening he agreed that Dr. Kilgour, of Aberdeen, might be sent for next day.

“On Monday he dictated a letter and telegram to Dr. Kilgour. He also dictated a kind note to the wife of one of his tenants, enclosing a cheque for a sum of money which he said it was on his mind to send him, and he thought that this was the most delicate way in which it could be offered. He also

dictated a note to the printer on returning the proof of a little tract which he had arranged to have printed as a leaflet for letters. He then attended to some other business, and after this he saw the surveyor who had drawn the plans for his new cottages, and entered into all the particulars of those which he had been to look at the week before. He charged him especially to take care that the attics were warm and dry, as the children would sleep there. The building of cottages for the peasantry was one of his favourite schemes, and during his short possession of the property he had fifty-six built.

up,

"At one p.m. he desired to be left alone for a little while. Afterwards he had a mutton chop for dinner, then drank a little milk, and though so weak that the cup nearly dropped from his hand he spoke cheerfully, and even playfully. He then composed himself as if to sleep, saying that he felt perfectly comfortable. These were his last words. While I read a few verses to him," continues Lady Aberdeen, "from the tenth and eleventh chapters of St. John, his lips moved as if in prayer, but he spoke no more. From three in the afternoon he was unconscious, except for a moment, just as the clock struck four, when he looked took my hand and drew it close to him; then his countenance changed. A few minutes after this the doctor arrived, but saw at once that all human aid was vain. All the evening he lay motionless, and at ten minutes past midnight, without a sigh or moan, his spirit gently passed away. Thus in the dark valley he neither feared nor felt evil. awoke, we doubt not, in the presence of his The 29th of March was a cold spring day, when the tenantry on the Aberdeen estates assembled, with the other friends of the late Earl, to convey his remains to their last resting-place. A copy of the tract, a proof of which was corrected by Lord Aberdeen on the last day of his life, was given to each tenant as he retired from the refreshment room. It was a tract on death, entitled, "It may be soon." Afterwards all were drawn up four abreast in front of the stately mansion, from the balcony of which the parish minister read a portion of the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, and offered up solemn prayer. Then the sad procession moved along through ways lined with sorrowing spectators, till slowly winding "along the green valley of the Ythan" it reached the churchyard of Methlic, where the mortal part of this good man was laid in the tomb of his fathers.

He laid himself down to sleep and
Saviour."

Grave of the righteous! surely there

The sweetest bloom of beauty is,

Oh may I sleep in couch as fair,
And with a hope as bright as his!

THE HYMNIST OF WALES.
By the Reb. Edward Edmunds.

THE first half of the eighteenth century forms a memorable epoch in the history of Nonconformity in Wales. The good seed had been cast into

the ground, and watered during the preceding century. Nor was it altogether unproductive. More than sixty Churches had been formed, and