ings where, in company with a few of those who knew him best, all restraint could be laid aside, and reminiscences and anecdotes furnished the topic of conversation. This lighter vein of character was not confined to his personal relations with others, but influenced his taste in reading. A truly humorous book afforded him great amusement, and in the Anniversary edition of the Pickwick Papers, illustrated with views of places made memorable by the associations which the genius of Dickens has woven around them, he found an especial satisfaction. While no one engaged in collecting material for an historical work ever failed to enlist his sympathies, or to receive from him such assistance as he could afford, there have no doubt been some whose enthusiasm was at times dampened by Mr. Jordan's love of accuracy, as he invariably advised beginners that accuracy in collecting and stating facts was absolutely necessary, and that without this such papers were better left unprinted.

This love of accuracy made him very impatient at times at the way in which history is treated in many of the newspapers. There was perhaps but one other thing which more disturbed the equanimity of our friend than this, which was that, after having generously and at some trouble assisted in genealogical investigations, to find that the only motive of the inquirer was that he might recover an immense fortune in the possession of some banking institution of Europe, the directors of which were extremely anxious to pay it over to the proper persons.

Nothing can better conclude a record of Mr. Jordan's many services to the Society than the letter he sent to the Council communicating to his fellow-members his last and crowning act of generosity.

It is as follows:

PHILADELPHIA, February 23, 1889.

To the Hon. James T. Mitchell, Chairman, and to the members of the Council of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

GENTLEMEN,About 1841 I was one of those who subscribed for the purchase of the first book-case received by the Society. From that time I have watched with interest the growth of the Library, and, notwithstanding the spacious quarters now occupied by the Society, feel convinced that in a very short time it will need additional space for the proper storage of books that are being constantly added to its collections. I long ago resolved that whatever I could do to promote the interests of the Society I would endeavor to do during my lifetime, and I now wish to provide for the contingency I have spoken of.

After consulting with your librarian regarding the erection of such a building as will be needed, I directed him to have plans prepared which will be submitted to you. They provide for the erection of a fire-proof building on the 13th Street front of the lot in the rear of the Hall. It is to be so constructed that the entire building can eventually be used for the storage of books, but for the present the second floor can be used for the display of objects of interest belonging to the Society, as I believe such objects in safe quarters will attract other collections.

The plans are subject to your approval, and any alterations you may suggest that do not involve additional cost will be considered.

When everything is decided upon I propose to deposit with the Treasurer of the Society and the Trustees of the Library Fund the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), the estimated cost of the building to be used for its erection.

If in the future the present property occupied by the Society should be sold and the money received for it should be more than is required for the purchase or erection of a new building, I would like the sum I now propose to give to

be deducted from it and given to the Trustees of the Library Fund, to be invested by them and the interest only used for the objects of the Trust, but I do not make this any condition of the gift.

Respectfully,

JOHN JORDAN, JR.

This generous offer was promptly and gratefully accepted by the President and Council, and preparations were at once made for the construction of the fire-proof annex with which you are now familiar. The dimensions of this structure between the walls are forty-two by twenty-three feet. It conforms with the architecture of the main building and is thoroughly fire-proof. It is two stories high. The upper, twenty-one and one-half feet high, is devoted to the exhibition of manuscripts and rare works and pictures. The first floor is divided by an open iron floor, making two stories, each seven and one-half feet high. On these two floors between thirty and forty thousand volumes can be stored in shelves. When more room for books may be required, the upper story can be divided into three floors similar to the lower floor. The total capacity of the stack will be between seventy-five and one hundred thousand volumes. No change is proposed to be made on the upper floor before another fire-proof building is prepared for the choice and rare collections of MSS. and books. It may, perhaps, be properly stated here, that when Mr. Jordan joined the Society its library numbered fifty volumes; today it numbers thirty-five thousand.

At a stated meeting held May 6, 1889, the President announced to the society this gift of Mr. Jordan. Appropriate remarks were made, but an intimation had been received by those taking active part in the proceedings that it would be most grateful to Mr. Jordan if but little

reference of a personal character were made to the donor. With his characteristic modesty, Mr. Jordan was not present at the meeting.

The building itself is a fitting type of the character of him who gave it: plain and unpretending, yet solid and enduring. The superb and unique collection of Colonial Laws, the gift of Mrs. Charlemagne Tower, followed, as it has been, by another most valuable collection of a different character and from a different source, to which I may now only thus allude, already show the correctness of the conviction expressed by Mr. Jordan, that the security thus afforded would attract to the Society more objects of interest and value. Thus the influence of Mr. Jordan continues to be exerted for the good of our Society, though he himself is no longer with us. Had Mr. Jordan given nothing else to the Society than this building, it were fitting that his name be held in perpetual remembrance. But this is by no means the greatest service he has rendered it. Rather is this to be found in the unwearied devotion to its interests for half a century, in his liberality, "constant, though concealed," in his judicious counsels, in his fearless courage, which inspired confidence in the community and hope for the Society among its members, a confidence crowned with success. There is not a shelf in these cases which has not on it one or more books placed there directly or indirectly by him; there is scarcely a manuscript which he has not examined; on every side is seen the work of his hand; never were the words more appropriate,

"Si monumentum requiris, circumspice."

Imperfect as any sketch of our honored Vice-President must be, it would be yet more incomplete were no mention made of his religious faith and life.

By inheritance and family connection Mr. Jordan was a Moravian, a church for which he retained a warm affection all his life long. This was shown by his intimate friendship with its most earnest members, by his generous contributions to its various needs, and by his deep interest in its history.1

1

Among these last may be briefly named,-through his exertions largely, the Moravian Historical Society was founded in 1857 and its Publication Fund established, which has issued two volumes of over five hundred pages each, and the third volume now preparing of the History of the Moravians in Pennsylvania. He took a deep interest in the history of Moravians in Pennsylvania, and can be credited directly or indirectly with the publication of the following works:

1. "Life of John Heckewelder." By Rev. Edward Rendthaler, 1847. 2. "A History of Nazareth Hall, 1755-1855." By Rev. Levin T. Reichel, 1855. A second and enlarged edition by Rev. W. C. Reichel, 1869.

3. "Sketches of Moravian Life and Character." By James Henry, 1859.

4. "Memorial of the Dedication of Monuments erected by the Moravian Historical Society to mark the Sites of Ancient Missionary Stations in New York and Connecticut," 1860.

5. "Memorials of the Moravian Church." By Rev. W. C. Reichel, 1870, and a number of monographs.

To mark the sites of Indian (Moravian) mission stations he had memorial stones erected at the following places:

Shecomeco and Wechquadnach, in New York and Connecticut, 1860, the sites of the first labors of the Moravians among the Indians. At Wyalusing (Bradford County, Pa.), in 1871 (an Indian Mission between 1765-1772), and he largely aided in the erection of the monument over the grave of David Zeisberger, in Ohio, who for upward of forty years was a missionary among the Indians.

In 1870 he purchased the "Whitefield House" and lot, at Nazareth, Pa. By deed of trust he conveyed it to "the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" of the Moravian Church, for the use of missionaries who were resting from service, reserving the second floor for the use of the Moravian Historical Society. This house was being erected by George