[ 27 j

      "The precious. gain can ne'er be lost,
         "'Forgrace insures the crop."
  Alexander, and Smith, and M'Chord, at very distant pla.
ces, and at very distant intervals of time, were the instruments
used in beginning ard in perfecting the good stork in our de-
parted friend. Aud they had no intercourse or connection
with one another in the matter. Their common Lord and
Master directed the whole.

  it was his habit to atterd as frequently as possible on the
ecclesiastical courts of the church to which 1be 'as attached.
It is related that on ore of these eccasions, while atterding a
meeting of the West Lexington Presbytery, application was
made by a pious and promising youv g man, of the samne town
originally with himself, for liccuse b) the Presb3tery. There
were some difficulties in the case, and the youth was in dan-
ger of being crushed by an effort from a sister court, and
of being denied the privilege of preaching the gospel of
Christ. Mr. Breckinridge was imrrediately roused to a con-
cern and an) effort for the sufferer, and made a powerful ap-
peal to the court then in session, which had a great share of
influence in bringing the candidate triumphantly forward in-
to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  Shortly afterwards a warm-liearted member of the Pres-
bytery, who had withdrawn after Mr. B's speech, was met
out of doors :by another member, weeping very profusely, and
on being asked the reason, said, "Brother, I have just been
praying to God to convert more lawyers."

  As a writer, he was almost unrivalled in the western coun-
try. His professional employments of course prevented him
from presenting to the public eye any production more exten-
sive than an oration or short essay. But from his corres-
pondence with his friends, from his style of pleading, and es-
pecially from the pager of those anniversary orations which
were from time to time given to the community, it is believed
that we have never boasted a more refined, bold, and clas-
sical writer. And we have all felt what power was thrown
into his Thoughts by his commanding, and chaste, but ardent
elocution.

  The circumstances of his death were interesting. The in-
creasing sickness of Frankfort and its vincinity, during the
autumn of 18c23, induced bim to romove his little flock of