One On plicity and closeness of her walk with Jesus. morning her mamma found her bathed in tears. inquiring the cause, she said, "Last night, when we returned home, I was so fatigued, that instead of going on my knees, I was wicked enough to lie down to pray, and consequently I fell asleep. And now I feel as if the Lord had forsaken me. He has hidden His face from me altogether, as if He would not receive me any more." She continued in great dejection throughout the day, until the evening, when she came to her mother, her countenance radiant with animation, exclaiming "O mamma! I have found my blessed Jesus again!" Thus, at this tender age, with no human instructor, totally ignorant of the dealings of God with others, but taught by the Spirit alone, this dear young believer was led into one of the profoundest mysteries of the Christian life-the hidings of the Lord's face-the restorings of the Lord's presence. How forcibly will the Christian reader be reminded of the corresponding state of the Church, as described in the Song of Songs! "By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me; to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house."* Dear Christian Turn not from reader, what is the state of your soul? the searching but affectionate inquiry. I repeat it with increased earnestness, What is the present state of your soul as before God? Time is flitting away—a dying bed is before you-and beyond it, stretching far into the dim or bright distance-as the state of your soul may paint it to your eye-is an endless eternity. What, then, is your spiritual state? Are you walking thus softly and closely with Jesus? Are you so accustomed to live in the enjoyment of His presence, that the least withdrawment of Him "whom your soul loveth" fills you with alarm and sorrow? Or are you reposing upon the bed of sloth, insensible to your Lord's absence, not awake to the loss your soul has sustained, and manifesting no earnest-seeking desire for His return? Ah! it was not always so with you! The time was when you could not live without the sensible presence of Christ; when your converse with Him was simple, and close, and tender; when the name of Jesus was as "ointment poured forth;" when you walked with God as your Father; and when your highest desire was to do those things which were pleasing in His sight. But is it so now? Let conscience answer-let the barrenness of your soul, let *Song of Sol. iii. 1-4. the chill upon your affections, let the drowsiness of your spirit, let the increasing love of the world, let the growing insensibility of your spirit, let the light thoughts of sin-testify that it is not with your soul now as in "months past, when the candle of the Lord shone round about you." Oh, that the example of this dear young believer might encourage you to arise and search for your Lord, until with her restored joy you exclaim-"I have found my blessed Jesus again!" We now approach a memorable and solemn period of dear Elizabeth's history-the closing scene. The period had arrived when, at the interesting age of eighteen, the Lord was about to remove this beautiful plant of Paradise to its own genial clime. A voice spake to her -others saw the glory that beamed around her person -she alone heard the voice 66 'Child, thy Father calls-come home." Let us draw near the deathbed of this lovely young believer : "Angels, as you wing your way Come, and wonder; Come, and see a Christian die. "Ye who tempt the heirs of glory, Come, and see a Christian die. "Ye who mock at revelation, Ye who scorn your soul's salvation, Come, and see a Christian die. "Ye who search creation o'er, Come, and see a Christian die. "Ye who still unwearied pore On the page of classic lore, Feast your mind, and feast your eye; Come, and wonder; Come, and see a Christian die. "Kinsmen, do you love your friend? To her deathbed hither wend; Come, and welcome; "Ere the silver cord be broken, Come, and wonder; Come, and see a Christian die. "Blessed Jesus! while we live, All that's needful freely give; Come, and teach us, Teach us, Saviour, how to die!" On the 12th of September Elizabeth took cold. For a time her indisposition, regarded by her medical attendant as ordinary and transient, created no imme diate uneasiness in the minds of her friends. In a few weeks, however, it assumed a serious and an alarming type; and it was then discovered that an abscess had formed upon the lungs. A consultation of eminent physicians pronounced the case hopeless. It now became necessary to represent to her her real condition. To whom could the painful task, requiring such tenderness and skill, be more appropriately confided than her mother? In whom were faithfulness and affection so powerfully and sweetly blended as in her? An opportunity soon presented itself for the solemn announcement. One morning she said to her mother, "Mamma, suppose papa were to speak to Dr perhaps he might give me something that would do me good." It was at that moment her mamma summoned sufficient self-command to disclose to her that all hope of her recovery was over! She instantly clasped her hands, and, lifting her eyes to heaven, said, with great solemnity, "Then, God's will be done!" From that moment she seemed to regard herself as more the inhabitant of the eternal world than of this. Not another wish or word expressive of a desire to live, escaped her lips; but her spirit commenced its preparation for the heavenly flight. Her first step was to arrange her little temporal affairs. On taking out her case of trinkets, with a view of disposing of them as mementoes of her affection, she said, "How the sight of these things reminds me of my folly! Do you re с |