ACTIVITY, ECONOMY, BENEVOLENCE.
The following letter tells the story of the remarkable career of a Christian minister, whose activity was maintained through a long life, and whose self-denial enabled him to accumulate handsome sums of money to be bestowed on worthy objects of benevolence. His sympathies were not narrow, but widespread, and his genial love of children continued to his latest days:
"My father, Rev. Otis Holmes, of Lake Grove, L. I., was an enthusiast in missions, and never let the time of the missionary concerts go by without attendance. His salary was never above $800 per year—latterly only $400—and during his last years, to save the Home Missionary Society, he gave his services. By rigid economy and incessant toil, with no vacation during fifty years, he laid aside $1,500 for missions, $500 to the American Board, $500 to the American Missionary Association, $500 to the Home Missionary Society. He gave, too, a parsonage lot, and contributed largely to two parsonages.
"In his earlier ministry he came in contact with pro-slavery parishioners, and ever and always stood up for the slave, and at no little sacrifice. And so upon the temperance question, at the age of eighty and upwards he would arouse most intense enthusiasm in meeting. None were heard oftener or more gladly. He had great strength and vigor and rarely ever missed an appointment. No weather detained him. He won many souls to Christ, and was quite often called away to revival work. He was exceedingly fond of children and entered heartily into their pastimes. He died at Lake Grove at the age of nearly ninety-one, and was an active pastor at the age of eighty-four. He died honored of his ministerial brethren, whom he ardently loved, and was mourned by a large number whom he had benefited during his ministry. Such a life of labor and love should make its appeal to a selfish and skeptical world."