osition.

His wife used to say, "Why, he is just like a child. So gentle and
peaceable. So easily intreated." I remember quoting that hymn at the
prayer meeting:

I want to be like Jesus,
Meek, lowly, loving, mild;
I want to be like Jesus--
The Father's holy child.

And at the close of the meeting he shook me warmly by the hand, and the
sentiment in the stanza seemed to give him unspeakable pleasure.

Once more, another qualification for the eldership that our deceased
brother possessed, was, _that he had a good report from without_. (See 1
Timothy, iii. 7.) Our dearly beloved was not only highly esteemed for
his work's sake by the members of the churches and the various pastors,
as their letters in this volume testify, but his walk and conversation
was such in the outside world, that his fellow-workmen, and those who
lived in the same house with him, and had opportunity to know him,
learned to revere and love him. You know the eyes of the world are
constantly watching the Christian. I notice on the casket to-day a
lovely bouquet of flowers, and I read on the card: "Presented to James
Knowles, by the printers where he was for years employed."

This is, certainly, a token of esteem to the memory of him with whom
they were long so affectionately associated.

In every professional life there are daily occurrences that try men's
tempers. But by the grace of God, our brother was enabled to adorn the
doctrine of God, our Saviour, and to live unspotted from the world. As
all elders have to mingle more with the world than a minister, how
essential it is that the outside world should see that their walk and
conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ.

Again: another qualification of an elder, is, that "he should be a
_prayerful man_." Our brother had all through life cultivated a spirit
of prayer. This "is the Christian's vital breath." It was his habit to
shut himself up in his room, and pour out his soul in earnest
supplication to God. He prayed in his family, as well as in the church.
He had secret prayer. "And thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
closet?" said Jesus. Oh, the power of prayer is marvellous. He prayed
audibly. And his wife used to say of him: "He pleads with God as one
_pleading for his life_."

When he became so weak that he was unable longer to testify for Christ
on his death-bed, his loved ones bending over him, and putting their
ears down to his lips to catch his last