Well we may exclaim, "How great is his goodness!"-" How great is his beauty!"-"To you who believe, HE is precious." Whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." O, how desolate and cheerless would the world and the whole creation be without a Saviour who is touched with a fellow-feeling of our infirmities, and is able to succour them that are tempted. May that compassionate Saviour, who knows his own work, support us under our sorrows and troubles, and administer to us the consolations of his word and Spirit, which are never richer and sweeter than in the day of calamity. How grieved am I to hear that you have had to suffer a good deal of distress on account of those from whom you hoped better things, even things that accompany salvation. Be not discouraged. Hope against hope. O, tarry thou the Lord's leisure; be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart. Patience must have something to be exercised upon it must have its perfect work. In the evening time it may be light-" Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." How gracious is the invitation, "Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.' O, that the Lord may enable those you are so deeply interested in to hear his voice, and to answer from the very ground of their hearts, "Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." It generally pleases the Lord to employ human instruments, but he sometimes shows us that he can do all the work without them; therefore, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” I am concerned about 's spiritual state. She came here full of doubts and fears now they are removed; but she does not know if she is now in a more safe state or not. I hope she has received Jesus Christ by faith, and rests upon him alone for salvation. She is reading Romaine's "Life of Faith," and is next to peruse the "Walk of Faith." I have again to thank you for this precious book. It has comforted me greatly; perhaps through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." 66 Mrs. C's health improves-she enjoys the fine air here: indeed, every thing looks sweet around us out of doors. O that we were only more heavenly minded, more fervent in our spirits, serving the Lord. -'s visit did me no good. I lament, I deeply lament, to see him so unconcerned about religion: truly this is a grief, and I must bear it." But is any thing too hard for the Lord? I can only hope and pray. What a mercy that we have a throne where to pour out our complaints; and how sweet to know that we shall experience the answer of prayer when we ask for things agreeable to the will of our heavenly Father. Are not those our happiest moments, when we feel that God is our portion; that he is the rest of our souls; that our treasure is in heaven, and there would we also be? Where the soul, cr -from sin for ever free, -I have lately lost an affectionate Christian friend, Mrs. K—, the wife of a holy excellent Minister. It was my privilege to visit her some days before she died; and though I then said, " All flesh is grass," I was cheered to see *This refers to a former passage of the letter, which has been omitted, in which, after referring to Isaiah, xl. 6, Psalm ciii. 15, 16, and 1 Pet. i. 24, she adds, "It is truly delightful to observe the cheering words that follow, in order that we may be the power of faith strikingly exemplified. The Lord has honoured her, by enabling her to glorify him in the midst of her sufferings, and, having endured with patience, to receive a crown of life. When she was in violent pain, her husband exclaimed, "O my Louisa!" she looked upwards, and said with great firmness, "My Saviour-a three-fold cord-is the rock on which I rest.' She did not speak a word for three days before she died, until a few hours before her spirit took its flight. She then sung the last verse of the twenty-third Psalm, in a fine melodious voice, and fell asleep in Jesus. O, how happy are true believers in life, at death, and through eternity! What a mercy, when we can trace our departed friends in the realms of celestial glory! Mr. K- is all meek resignation. He says, "We must look for support in the path of duty."-" We must not sink, but persevere." He preached to us three days before Mrs. K-'s death from these words: "I had fainted unless I had believed;" and we sung, "Why art thou cast down, my soul, &c." -I desire to mention with gratitude, (0, with what gratitude should I be filled!) that though for some time past we have, as it were, been like sheep having no shepherd, yet the Lord has fed us in secret, and also given us richly to enjoy many precious opportunities of hearing the Gospel. Elisha did not cry for Elijah, but he said, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" It is God we would seek. It is his holy Spirit we need to bless us in hearing the word, and to enable us to bring forth fruit. When I intrude perhaps too frequently upon your precious time; but I know you will forgive me. you are blessing others, the Lord has promised to bless you, and has said, "He that watereth shall be watered himself." I am charmed with the view you give me of the ministering spirits, that are now ministering to the heirs of salvation. O, what amazing condescension! "What ills their heavenly cares prevent No mortal tongue can tell." Surely they will have a peculiar charge of ministers that do HIS pleasure; but above all, may the angel who redeemed us from all evil bless you, and enable you to persevere unto the end. I am delighted with the account you give me of your dear friend Mr. S. I may never see him in this lower world; but if I get to the prepared mansion, I shall see both him and you shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars, for ever and ever. Then we will join the song of ceaseless praise unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood: to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Accept of our united kind wishes for every good to attend you; and believe me to remain Yours very sincerely SUNDAY EVENING. "I THINK we must have a row hard all the week."" True," redown the river this beautiful even- joined Joe; "'t is very well for the ing," said Joe Bennett. 66 Ay," gentlefolks and parsons to keep replied Harry Adams, 26 So we at home on Sundays, when they will; for we've been to church once can take their pleasure all the other to-day, and that's enough in any six days; but it is quite a different reason for folks that have worked thing for us, and one works all the better for a little fun once now and then."-"I am sure I do," said Harry; so the plan was made, and they went directly to the waterside and took a boat. In their way, however, they met a neighbour who they were aware thought very differently about the manner in which Sunday evenings ought to be spent. At first, therefore, they were surprised to see him out, and Joe began to say, that, after all, Thomas was no better than themselves; "for," added he, " in spite of somewhat he has preached to me about staying at home and keeping the Sabbath holy, you see he can take a walk upon an occasion, just as we do."—" And he has less excuse for it too," said Harry, "for we are but lads, and he is old enough to know better. I don't know that I should go out if I had a wife and children like him." Thomas came up to them just as they were getting into the boat; and, as usual, said something, especially to Joe, whom he had known many years, about the impropriety of what they were doing. He, however, was not disposed to listen, and Thomas left them, saying, "You will repent of this when it may be too late; and, depend upon it, nothing but harm ever came of Sunday parties." Thomas was a middle-aged man, and though he had lived all his life in his native village, and knew not much of the world, yet he had seen quite enough to convince him that the true interest and happiness of every body is to obey the commands and do the will of God. He had been a servant of God for many years, and had found him a kind and merciful Master. As it may be supposed, one of his chief studies had been how to preserve a consistent conduct and a devotional spirit; and as he was what his neighbours called a sharp man," perhaps few persons were more likely to decide justly what were the best means. Yet Thomas's favourite maxim was, that if Sunday was well spent, nothing would go amiss in the week; and so very great an importance did he attach to observing the Sabbath, that when his eldest son was going out to a farmer's service, the principal advice he gave him was respecting it. "My boy," said he, "when I was a young man, and could not get a holyday any other time, I was sometimes persuaded to go out on a Sunday; but I can say that I never did so without finding cause to repent of it heartily, even independent of its being a sin against God. I was sure to get into worse company on Sundays than any time else; which may easily be accounted for, because sober steady people always stay at home then, and I was sure to get overcharged at any public house or skittle-ground I went to; and, as the whole thing together was against the law, it was no use to complain. Then, coming home, especially on the river, there was almost always quarrelling, or tricks, and generally some who were half drunk, so that very often there was some accident or other. Besides, it so unsettled my mind, that I could not go comfortably to work the next day, and the wicked- ‹ ness I had heard and seen would run in my head all the week after. Even if I had been to church in the morning, these jaunts used to drive out all the good I might have learnt there: they made me quite forget every thing that had been said; and indeed to tell the truth, my mind would be so full of the pleasure-party, that I hardly listened either to the prayers or ser mon. Thank God I did not persevere in such a course of sin, but became convinced that I could not be happy, except in obeying his commandments. Since I have given up pleasure-taking on Sundays, I have found that I have saved my money better, and have been a great deal less troubled with tempt . ations to do many things that are wrong. My thoughts are able to follow the prayers in public worship, and God has answered these prayers in blessing both me and my family." This advice, with more of the same nature, Thomas had also before endeavoured to impress on his son, and indeed on all his family; and he enjoined it by the quiet regular manner in which he always spent the Sabbath. His wife was generally obliged to stay at home in the morning with the very young children; but not because she had any clothes to wash or iron, or rooms to clean, before she could go to church. All this was done on the Saturday; and even if Thomas was late in bringing his wages home, her credit at the shop was good enough for her to be trusted with what she might want until Monday morning, so that she never had occasion to go for bread, or meat, or flour, or any thing else on Sunday. In the afternoon, Thomas would stay with the children while his wife went to church; or, if they could contrive it, they would both go, and one would sit near the door, to be able to slip out the more easily, if a child should cry or be troublesome. The evening they spent in talking over what they had heard the other parts of the day, in teaching their children, or in reading the Bible When or some good book. first Thomas became a religious man, he used to think that he could never go too often to a place of worship; he would be at church morning and afternoon, and, if it were not open, he would attend a prayer meeting in the evening. But after a time, he began to consider that it was a little selfish for him to leave his wife the whole day with the children, so that sometimes she could not get out at all; and accordingly he resolved to have his turn for taking care of them. Then again he found, that if he had heard two sermons in the day, it was more profitable to himself to read and meditate, partly alone and partly with his family, than to go to a third. As his children were growing up especially, he perceived very clearly that he did them a great deal of good by talking to them, and making them learn their hymns or catechisms; and that this attention to them on the Sunday evening was better than taking them to a service where he could hardly ever make them attentive, and where they often went to sleep. From this plan of spending his Sabbath Thomas never deviated, except in à case of necessity; and such we may call that which took him from church in the afternoon of which we have been speaking. He had heard that his sister was ill, and particularly desired to see him. It was said, indeed, that no immediate danger was apprehended; but yet, as she lived at some distance, as it was uncertain how he should receive further accounts of her, and as he knew that she had no religious friends about her, he did not hesitate to comply with her wish without delay. He found her, however, worse than he had expected, and this induced him to remain so long with her, that, though it was a fine summer's evening, the sun had been set some time before he came to the ferry, where he had left the lads in his way to his house. This ferry was a place not much frequented on week days, and Thomas had so seldom passed on the Sunday, that he did not know that the path by the side of the river, from which was a fine prospect of white cliffs and woody hills, had lately become a usual place of resort. It may be guessed then, that he was astonished to see a great crowd of people. If it had been possible, he would have avoided them and gone home some other way, but it was too late for him to attempt a circuit of several miles, and he was obliged to draw near. 66 66 But as he approached, his astonishment increased. He was aware that many of the idle games frequently practised were very noisy; but the sounds were not such as he would have expected. A great confusion too prevailed; and, in fact, some were hallooing, some swearing, some pushing, some bringing ropes and poles, so that it was evident something was the matter. Thomas paused a few minutes, and then inquired of one who stood near, what had happened. O, there's been an upset," replied the man; a boat has been turned over, and two young men are gone down.""Indeed!" said Thomas, and his heart sunk, for he could not help guessing who they were. Very soon one body was brought out, quite insensible and apparently lifeless. They laid it on the grass and rubbed it, but no sign of life appeared; and they all agreed, that the only chance of restoration would be from putting it into a warm bed and using the methods prescribed by the Humane Society. Yet this seemed impracticable, for there was no house near. Thomas, however, hearing what passed, went up and looked at the body, and recognising Joe's dress more than his features, proposed carrying it to his own home, which was about a mile distant. This seemed a long way to take the body, and many thought that if any life were left, the delay and the motion so far would completely extinguish it. Some, indeed, said that they were sure Joe was quite dead, and that it would not be worth while to take any farther trouble, and they advised to send both the bodies to the bone-house at once; but Thomas could not consent to give up all hopes of the poor young man, without at least doing whatever was in his power; and he said he would not mind the trouble, but that he thought it was better to carry this body off directly, and not wait till the other was found. The people, however, appeared to be more willing to wait by the river than to help him, and it was not till after some expostulations that he prevailed with one of his neighbours to bear part of the burden. In the mean time a number of persons continued searching and dragging the river, to find the other body; but their efforts were quite fruitless, and in a short time the night closed in, and it was so dark, it was of no use to continue searching. More than an hour had now passed since the accident happened, and there could be no hope of restoring the unfortunate lad, even if he were found. So they gave over their labour, and soon after the crowd dispersed. But Thomas had now reached home. His wife had been a little alarmed at his being out so much later than was at all usual with him, and began to think, that, as there were so many rude people about on Sunday evenings, something unpleasant had happened. However, the story he told easily accounted for his absence, and she had only to think what could be done for the unhappy sufferer. The children were all gone to bed; but as she had two bed-rooms, she removed some of them, so that there might be a clear room, and that the little ones might not be frightened. Thomas then had Joe laid upon his own bed; and as they had but one blanket, they folded it so as to wrap him round. A fire was soon lighted, and Thomas and his wife rubbed him with warm flannels, while their neighbour went to the nearest public house for some cordial. No less urgent occasion, indeed, would have induced Thomas to send on such an errand; and he knew that his doing so now would perhaps be handled by illnatured people to his disadvantage; but as they were sure they were doing their duty, he said that for once they must not mind appear |