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270 bringing about this change; nor was this correspondence confined to America, lie also opened a communication with several divines of the most distinguished piety on the continent of Europe. This intercourse he assiduously cultivated and carried on during the whole of his life. One bad consequence of it was the toil which it necessarily entailed on him, not only in answering his numerous correspondents, but in being called upon by the friends of deceased divines, to correct and superintend the publication of posthumous works. To his voluntary labours in this way, the religious world is indebted for the greater part of the works of president Edwards, and Dickson, and of Stoddart, and Fraser of Alness. Such was Dr Erskine's thirst for information concerning the state of religion, morality, and learning on the continent, that in his old age, he undertook and acquired a knowledge of the Dutch and German languages. The fruits of the rich field which was thus thrown open to him appeared in " The Sketches and Hints of Church History and Theological Controversy, chiefly translated or abridged from modern Foreign Writers. Edinburgh, vol. 1st, 1790, vol. 2nd, 1799." These volumes contained the most extensive and interesting body of information respecting the state of religion on the Continent, which had been presented to the world.

One of the objects professed by the promoters of those revolutionary principles, which, towards the close of the last century threatened the subversion of social order in Europe, was the destruction of all Christian church establishments; and an association was actually formed on the continent for this purpose. Dr Erskine, however, having in the course of his researches into the state of religion, discovered the existence of this association, gave the alarm to his countrymen ; and professor Robinson and the Abbe Barruel soon after investigated its rise and progress, and unfolded its dangers. The patriotic exertions of those good men were crowned with success. Many of those who had been imposed upon by the specious arguments then in vogue, were recalled to a sense of reason and duty; and even the multitude were awakened to a sense of the impending danger, when the true character of the religion and morality of those political regenerators, who would have made them their dupes, were disclosed and illustrated by the practical commentary which the state of France afforded. The consideration that he had assisted to save this country from the horrors to which the French nation had been subjected, was one of the many gratifying reflections which solaced Dr Erskine on looking back, in his old age, on his laborious and well spent life.

Dr Erskine's zeal in the cause of religion led him to take a large share in the business of the society for the propagation of Christian knowledge; and even when, through the infirmities of bad health and old age, he was unable to