Rev. Henry H. Van Amringe

Rev. Henry H. Van Amringe died in Philadelphia, Pa., May 24. He was born in Philadelphia, Jan. 13, 1796. He was graduated honorably by Columbia college, New York city, in 1815. Immediately after graduating he studied law, and in 1818 was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of New York. He subsequently settled at Westchester, chester Co., Pa., ands by his ability and integrity soon gained a distinguished position at the bar. During the administration of Gov. Shulze he was appointed by Attorney General Ellmacher his deputy for Chester county. This office he resigned in 1835. He became Recorder of Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1840, by appointment of the Governor. He resigned the Recordership in 1844, and, though he had a brilliant legal and political career open before him, he quitted forever the practice of the bar to devote himself to the Chrisatian ministry. From this time forward he labored assiduously to disseminate the gospel.
    He itinerated through various parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin, as an evangelist and a lecturer on such practical reforms as he deemed best calculated to secure to all free homes, personal liberty, education, and the perpetuity of our republican institutions. His influence had much to do with the passage of a homestead exemption law by Wisconsin, which still remains in force. He wrote much for the papers, many pamphlets on subjects of religion and reform, and several religious works.
   In 1854 he united with the F. W. Baptists, and became pastor of their church near Burlington, Wis.. His arduous labors shattered his constitution, and he was compelled at last to yield through physical exhaustion. He resigned the pastorship of the Freewill Baptist church as Prairie Centre, Illinois, in the latter part of 1869, and by invitation west to live in Philadelphia with his sister and her family, by whom he was attended with the most devoted and untiring affection till his death. Though he was afflicted with paralysis, which extended gradually over his body and affected at last even his speech, and, at times, with acute neuralgic and rheumatic pains, no impatient or complaining word ever escaped his lips. He seemed not to think of himself, but was the charm of the family from the uniform cheerfulness and sweetness of his temper, the inexhaustible fund of information which he was ever ready and pleased to impart, the tender interest he manifested in the welfare of all about him, and the noble Christan example his daily life afforded. His death was as calm as his hope was steadfast. As he approached his end, the paralysis in a great measure left him, and he slept himself away as gently as an infant. His friends scarecely knew that he had gone till his silent pulse informed them that his spirit rested in the bosom of his Father.
   After his death there were found among his proivate papers two of what he had terms "Books of Remembrance." In one of them was the following remarkable entry. Faithfully did he keep the vows here made, and most signally were his prayers answered. In the early part of the evening on which this entry was made he had recorded that he was reading Upham on christian Perfection, and in conformity with with direction consecrated himself solemnly to God. Then the following:
   Same evening, 9 1/2 o'clock. On looking further into Upham, I see he gives the abridgement of two forms of consecration from Dr. Doddridge. I therefore, after praying to God, enter my consecration more specifically: O God, most merciful, I, an unworthy sinner, degraded and polluted by sins more than I can number, who have no strength nor hope in myself, do earnestly desire to consecrate myself to thee in the Lord Jesus christ, and do now and hereby, relying on thy grace and help, wholly and totally consecrate myself to thee and to thy service, in thy ever adorable Son, supplicating thee, O my God and Father, to have mercy on me for Christ's sake, and to heal and pardon all my backslidings, my maniform enormous transgressions, and to wash me thoroughly from all uncleanness, and all the remains of sin, to sanctify my wholly, to fill me with perfect love, and to present me to thyself cleansed in Christ, without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing, but that I may be holy and without blemish.
   O my God, to thee do I solemnly consecrate by a personal and irrevocable covenant, now and henceforth, forever and ever, all that I am and all that I have; my heart, soul, mind, strength and body, do do and suffer thy will in all things, at all times and in all places without reserve, trusting to thy power and grace to sustain, keep, guide, instruct, deliver, save and sanctify me, and that thou art a faithful God, and wilt do that which is best for me, according to thy gracious promises in the blessed gospel of the adorable Lord Jesus, in and through whom alone I have ventured, O Most High God, to come into thy presence, and through faith in whose blood I trust to have access and acceptance before thy throne.
   O most merciful God, record in thy book of remembrances this, my most solemn vow and consecration, and keep me faithful to it throughout, and in all particulars, forever.--I have no strength but in thee; and if I trust in myself and turn from thee, I am lost,and perish most fearfully and miserably. O my God, I pray thee, for christ's sake, be merciful to me a sinner. My sins are as crimson; they are as a deluge; they have gone over my head; thou knowest them! O my God, I have no covering from Thee! Receive, O heavenly Father, me, a returning rebel and most sinful transgressor. Wash me in the blood of thy dear Son; clothe me with thy perfect righteousness, and sanctify me throughout by the power of thy Spirit. And, O God, when thou seest the agonies of disolving nature upon me, remember this covenant, even though I should then be incapable of recollecting it, and look with pitying eye upon thy dying child. Put strength and confidence into my departing spirit, and receive it to the embraces of thine everlasting love.
   In attestation of my earnestness, I hereto subscribe my hand at Mukwonago, Wis., Nov. 22, A.D. 1850, 10 1/2 o'clock, P. M.--H. H. Van Amringe.