02
��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��And now the story of the disposi- tion of the surplus revenue in Canaan is about finished. The vicissitudes to which it was exposed, during the few years it continued in the town treasury, were pregnant with danger, and called into active circulation more vicious human ugliness than was supposed could exist in the heart of man. We have finally traced it into the pockets of all the inhabitants, including " wid- ows and maiden ladies," in town, and there it has remained, every dollar of it, for nearly forty years.
The subject rises to the surface once more, spasmodically, and then sinks
��into oblivion so profound that even the persons whose taxes were paid by its distribution need to be reminded ot the fact before they recall it. On the 1 2th of March. 1844, the people de- clared that the proprietors of the acad- emy had got more than their share of the surplus revenue, and ordered them to pay into the town treasury an amount equal to the excess they had received above the rest of the inhab- itants. But it does not appear that any one of those proprietors ever complied with the request ot the peo- ple. They took all that came into their hands and kept it.
��DAVID CROSBY
��BV R. PARKINSON.
��At Nashua, on the 26th of Februarv. 1 88 1, David Crosby, a. m., finished a long life of patient continuance in well-doing. "The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." From beginning to end, without retreat, halt, or deviation, he advanced in that path. In respect to use of talents and op- portunities, he gained to the utmost the benefits of the Saviour's maxim, " To him that hath shall be given ;" in respect to beneficent service, he gained to the utmost the benefits of that opposite maxim, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
He was born at Hebron, September 1, 1807. His father, a frugal, hard- working farmer, wac, or felt he was, too limited in resources to afford him ad- vantages for education beyond the brief winter school in his own district. In youth he formed the determination that he would have more than that. He adapted his means to this end. He wasted neither time nor money in pursuit of youthful pleasures. He was on the alert to find, and resolute to improve, every chance to earn money by extra work in any kind of reputable service. And so, with invincible in-
��dustry and perseverance, he worked his way into the academy and through college. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1833.
Beyond the inevitable dependence of childhood, he was, with scarcely any outside help, a self-made man. And in making himself he followed the Divine rule, "Building up your- selves on your most holy faith, — keep yourselves in the love of God." His faith in God as he is revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and in himself, was without variableness or shadow of turn- ing, and he kept himself so steadily in the love of God that it constituted his main-spring of action, and a clear limit and guide to all his purposes and aims.
He was "effectually called" to teach. Paul said a necessity was laid on him to preach, and added, "If I do this thing wittingly, I have a re- ward." But Mr. Crosby seemed so conscious of his willingness to teach, and so sure of his reward, that there was no ground for an " if" in the case. In a letter, written in January, 1878, he said : "I have never had the least doubt that I have pursued the calling for which the Lord designed me. And
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