opposed to their measures, gave decision to the proceedings of the society, and opened the eyes of many, who, till then, thought better of the kirk authorities. It also spurred on the sister society to increasing exertions to send the light of the truth into those parishes where the blind were leading the blind to destruction.

It was at this time the Haldanes, having become acquainted with Mr. Campbell, became active coöperators in the good work, so zealously begun.

They belonged to an ancient family, and their connections ranked among the aristocracy. Their parents were pious, but died early, the father, when Robert was four years old, and fourteen days before James Alexander was born;-the mother, six years after. They therefore did not enjoy the inestimable benefit of parental guidance in their youth, though other guardians watched over them with affectionate solicitude. Their education was probably not so systematic or general as it would have been had their parents lived to direct it, but it was equal to what the sons of the landed gentry at that time received, who were not intended for any of the learned professions. They attended the full course of tuition in the High School, Edinburgh, then at the hight of its reputation as a classical academy; and they boarded with its rector, the celebrated Dr. Adams, who was an admirable teacher, a thorough classical scholar, a most excellent man, and a perfect zealot in the cause of education.*

Robert also attended some classes in the university, but with no definite object in view. At one time, indeed, he proposed to study for the ministry, but his friends dissuaded him from such a course, as unsuitable for one whose wealth placed him in a high social position.

Both boys had a great deal of energy in their character, which eminently fitted them for active life. Several of their

* When he was dying, at an advanced age, his mind, in its wanderings, was often in the school room, and when the darkness of death came over him, and his eyes were waxing dim, he was heard whispering, "Boys, it is growing dark, it is time to go home." He held the rectorship thirty-eight years.

relatives holding distinguished positions in the Royal Navy, while others had interest as proprietors in the East India Company, Robert finally decided on entering the former, and James Alexander, the latter service.

Robert went on board the Monarch, in 1780, and finally left. the service at the peace, in 1783. James Alexander entered the Company's service in 1785; in 1793 he was in command. of the Melville Castle, Indiaman. He had made three voyages, and was about to proceed on a fourth, when he sold out his interest in the ship and voyage for fifteen thousand pounds, and returned to Scotland in 1795.

During the three years Robert was in the navy, his uncle, Captain, afterwards Admiral Lord Duncan, was stationed in command of the guard-ship at Gosport, and thither, on every opportunity, the nephew went. While on these visits he attended the chapel of the Rev. Dr. Bogue, with whom he became intimately acquainted, and their friendship continued until death dissolved it. The influence which the example, instructions, and prayers of a pious mother exercises upon her children, even after she is removed from them, was felt by these orphans throughout their youth, as it was testified to by them in their maturer years. Though thoughtless as other boys, yet, during their school time there were, ever and anon, recollections of their beloved mother awakened in them; even amid the levity which characterizes the life of a sailor there were times when memory recalled the past-the scenes of their happy childhood, their hymns repeated, their prayers said, kneeling at her knee, with the kiss and the blessing given, ere they were sent to bed,-all came back and chid them for their ingratitude in ever forgetting them.

As the result of these early impressions-in other words, as the answer to a mother's prayer, there was, in both, what may be called a tendency towards religion. In the stirring business of their early manhood these impressions may have appeared to have faded away, but they had not; they were only overlaid for a time, though in the case of the younger brother, the overlaying was heavy.

Robert, after traveling over a great portion of Europe, part.

of the time in company with Dr. Bogue, returned to Scotland, and settled on his paternal estate of Airthrey. In 1785 he married Miss Oswald,—a union which proved as harmonious as it was protracted, lasting nearly fifty-seven years.

James Alexander married a Miss Joass, in 1795, a few weeks before he retired from the Company's service.

From the time of his marriage James Alexander's attention had become more engaged in studying the Scriptures. Mrs. Haldane had been religiously brought up, and her influence was beneficially exerted on him. He was in a very anxious state of mind when he returned to Edinburgh, after quitting the Melville Castle; and the conversation and counsel of John Campbell were made eminently useful in leading him to give himself unreservedly to the Saviour, and to consecrate himself to his service. His brother was a much longer time in arriving at a like resolution. He had a stronger mind, a higher intellect, and struggled long in pondering the Christian evidences. Dr. Bogue's advice assisted him much, so did that of the Rev. Mr. Innes, one of the ministers of Stirling, near which Airthrey was; and there were several other ministers in neighboring parishes, whose society and conversation he found of service; but the simple scriptural views of a stone mason, named Menstrie, were of more value than all beside, and gave him the first clear conception of the way of salvation.

He came into the full light of gospel truth shortly after his brother, and, with him, entered into the evangelical operations then set a going. The strong affection which bound them so closely never seems to have loosened during their entire lives, though there was a very marked difference between their characters. Robert was haughty, imperious, impatient of opposition, decided and dogmatical. He had no nicety of feeling, made no allowance for the sensitiveness of others. He felt strongly and spoke strongly on every subject in which he took an interest; and when he differed from others his opinion was apt to be harshly expressed. He was slow in forming his opinion, and settling on any plan of action; but when he decided he was strenuous and determined in carrying it out. His natural disposition, with all its fraternal and

relative affection, was proud and supercilious; and the want of parental check in his early youth, and the despotic authority with which every officer in the Royal Navy is invested, strengthened and confirmed it; and not even Christian principle and his Christian experience, rich and varied as it was, enabled him to overcome it. It consequently unfitted him for any long continued and cordial action with others. His brother was of another mind. He had nothing of Robert's haughtiness and dogmatism; he was as firm, but he was kind and conciliatory in his intercourse with others. He had one weakness, however, which possibly originated from his extreme conscientiousness, and anxiety to be and to do right. He was apt to vacillate in his views as to points of doctrine, and as to matters of church order, and this vacillation led to calamitous results, as we shall see in the sequel.

But in the outset of his distinguished career as a Christian, he was ready to join in every good word and work, acting cordially with others, and stimulating them by his example. Such were the brothers; both men of great energy, both under powerful impressions of the truth, and both willing to devote their labors, and consecrate their means, to its diffusion amongst their brethren of mankind.

When they came publicly forward, the Christian mind of Britain, north and south, as we have seen, had awakened to the great duty incumbent on the churches, to send the gospel to the heathen. Robert had become greatly interested by the accounts received from Messrs. Carey and Marshman, the first. missionaries sent out to India; and the idea of originating another mission to a different quarter of India, suggested itself to him. While ruminating on this subject, his friend, Dr. Bogue, published two stirring appeals in behalf of missions, and the perusal of these determined him. James Alexander's mind was rather turned to the perishing condition of multitudes at home.

The resolution Robert formed was, for a person in his cir-. cumstances, unprecedented. His fine estate, on which, for nearly ten years, he had been lavishing expense, until few properties, even in picturesque Stirlingshire, equaled it in

condition and beauty of arrangement, as none surpassed it in varied and enchanting scenery, he resolved to sell and invest the amount realized from it in establishing and sustaining a mission to Bengal.

Having decided on this, and his plan being arranged in all its detail, he proposed to his old Gosport friend, Dr. Bogue, that he should resign his charge and be one of the missionaries, to which he consented; and the Rev. Mr. Innes, with whom Mr. Haldane had had much intercourse, while inquiring after the truth, agreed to be another. But a third was required, and Mr. Innes's brother-in-law, the Rev. Greville Ewing, assistant minister in Lady Glenorchy's chapel, was applied to. Though ready himself to accede to the proposal, Mr. Ewing had considerable difficulty in obtaining the consent of his people, and the approbation of his numerous friends, who considered his services as Secretary to the Missionary Society to be indispensable. But his attachment to the kirk of Scotland, of which he was a licentiate, and with which his own church was in full communion, had been shaken by the recent proceedings of the Moderates. His views, too, on "Purity of Communion," as an essential principle which should regulate the membership of the true church of Christ, had been deepening; and he contemplated an early withdrawal from its fellowship, and the casting in his lot among the friends of the present auspicious movement, as an active participant in their plans and labors. The difficulties, therefore, which lay in his way, were soon removed, and he cordially entered into Mr. Haldane's views.

So far the mission was arranged. These three were to be the translators of the Scriptures into the native tongue, and also preachers; but other pious individuals were to go with them, as catechists and teachers. In short, everything was provided for, which sanctified human sagacity could contrive, as likely, under God, to insure a prosperous issue. But the consent of the East India Company had to be obtained, ere the zealous and munificent projector and his coadjutors could depart to the field of their labors.