The intelligence of the death of this gentleman, which is announced in our telegrams, will be received everywhere with profound sorrow, for the Rev. Dr. Francis Thomas Cusack Russell was a colonist of twenty-eight years standing, and had endeared himself to all by the faithful performance of his duties. But for the existence of certain jealousies which induced the Church authorities to import a bishop, it is probable that Dr. Russell would have been head of the See of Ballarat, for it was considered by many that for ability, experience, and general adaptability to the position, there was none equal to him, except perhaps his coadjutor Dr. Beamish.

Dr. Russell was a native of the county of Cork, being the son of a beneficed clergyman in that county. He received his early education at Dr. Brown's, of Bandon, at that time the rival school to Enniskillen, and from thence he went to Trinity College, Dublin, where he carefully prepared himself for the Church.

Shortly after his ordination he came to Sydney, at or about the same time as the Rev. Dr. Peter Teulon Beamish, his fellow-collegian, both under the auspices of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. His arrival in New South Wales must have dated back to 1848 or thereabouts, for in 1849 Dr. Russell, still in companionship with Dr. Beamish, became a denizen of Port Phillip, where both clergymen enlisted under the banner of Bishop Charles Perry, who appointed Dr. Russell to take charge of the Wannon district; and Dr. Beamish to Warrnambool.

Dr. Russell ever since has devoted his time unceasingly to his profession in this district, being instrumental in erecting churches at Coleraine, Casterton, Branxholme, Digby, and Merino. Although often solicited to take a more lucrative and prominent place in the Church, he preferred the hard work and humble fare of the bush. Within the last two years his health having suffered, Dr. Russell, on the representation of his medical advisers, was induced to take a trip to the old country, and so great was the sympathy felt for him that his numerous friends throughout the district voluntarily raised the sum of £1,500 without making any public appeal, and presented it to him in an unostentatious manner to enable him to enjoy a prolonged holiday. The trip via San Francisco, and a sojourn in Italy, seemed to have so far set him up that the doctors apprehended no immediate return of his complaint (apoplexy), and approved of his re-embarking for Victoria.

He accordingly started by the "Hampshire," but was fated never again to see his adopted land, for he died at sea after a brief illness of eleven hours. Mrs. Russell, who had accompanied him on the voyage, was destined to return a widow, but it must be some consolation to her to know that she is not coming amongst strangers, but will be received by all with a welcome which is due alike to the memory of her husband and to her own good qualities, manifested in the performance of those dnties usually devolving upon the wives of country clergymen.