for you respected the piety, you loved the worth, of its author, Let it be remembered, and so improved, that, when you meet her at the judgment-seat, she may find it was not given in vain. ofw alquod dool I mody 2. Let those who have a good hope that they are interested in the Divine promises learn, in whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content. The terms of that Covenant, my Christian brethren, in which you trust, and which you know is ordered in all things and suré, render it certain, that, whatever be the dispensations of providence toward you, they are the fruit of your heavenly Father's love,just what He, who knows all your necessities, and what will be the influence of his dealings with you, sees to be, at the time, most conducive to your happiness, as well as to his own glory. And can you not confide in his wisdom, and goodness, and fidelity? The whole history we have been contemplating testifies the safety and happiness of doing so, The prominent trait in the piety of our departed friend, was confidence in God. She hoped that she had given herself to him; and, she had no doubt, that, if the surrender had been sincere, he would do with her, in all things, well. She longed and prayed for perfect resignation to the divine will; and, under her severest trials, she could say, "It is a part of God's infinitely perfect plan of government. I therefore lay my hand upon my mouth and say, Thy will be done.' She strongly felt, and often mentioned the consoling truth for the encouragement of others, that God would carry his people through every duty and every trial, if they would only place their confidence in him. It was her joy and consolation, that Jehovah reigns; her delight to commit herself and all her interests, to his disposal. To be willing to be, to do, and to suffer, just what God pleases, to be satisfied with all that he does now, and satisfied to have him do what shall seem to him good hereafter A this, this," she would say "is happiness; this, I think, is a foretaste of heaven." And this was the habitual frame of her mind for several months before her death; in this frame, her spirit took its flight to the eternal world. If you, my brethren, would experience the consolations by which she was cheered, while passing through the wilderness of this world, if you wish your Latter end to be like hers, cultivate the same spirit. Trust in the Lord at all times, and you shall never be desolate; you shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved. 92 92 1,300 b. .J 3. That we may derive the greatest benefit from the dispensations of providence, let us imitate the example of our lamented sister in using the means of rightly imLitimSzolj to 91 94. 90 03 2 proving them. For this purpose, she was diligent in her endeavours to cultivate personal piety. She daily studied with care the Holy Scriptures, and devoted a part of her time to religious meditation. A portion of every day, commonly in the early part of it, she spent in secret prayer. It was on the altar of secret devotion, that she kindled that pure flame, which was generally seen burning so brightly, when she was engaged in the active duties of life. She frequently examined herself, not merely for the purpose of ascertaining whether she might hope that she was a child of God, but also, whether she had made any progress in the divine life. "At the close of every day, her conduct, and the temper of heart she had maintained, were reviewed'; the evening preceding the Sabbath was especially devoted to this important duty. If at any time she found she had declined in her Christian course, or any trial was apprehended, or any duty of peculiar difficulty to be performed, she observed a season of private fasting and prayer. She loved the sanctuary and its solemn services, and was careful to have her mind in a devotional frame while attending upon them, reflecting as she entered, and cherishing the impression while she remained within the sacred edifice, that she might never enter it again. She viewed attendance upon the holy communion as a most import ant and solemn service, and was always careful to prepare herself for it, by self-examination, reflection, and vent the prayer. She endeavoured to trace, in every event, hand of God, and to derive from every occurrence some spiritual instruction. Her religion, however, was not confined to her closet, and to the sanctuary. She endeavoured to carry it with her into all the business and circumstances of life. She did not, like some professed believers in the doctrines of grace, feel, that because she was to be saved by the merits of Christ alone, there was no necessity of being careful to maintain good works. So far from finding this to be the influence of those doctrines, which she firmly believed and ardently loved, she has left it in testimony as the result of her experience, the IT f our ac "when her hope of acceptance solely on the ground of the merits of Christ was the strongest, she felt most unquenchable desires to serve him with her heart, her whole heart. To glorify God and to do good to men was her habitual aim. The duties of her family she endeavoured to discharge with fidelity, from a regard to the will of Jehovah, who, by placing her in that relation had required them at her hands. The intercourse of friendship she sought to make of a profitable character, re membering that for ou as well as for OVID 911 ( 22973014, tions, we must give of Christ. She was ever r ready to visit and comfort the afflicted, to instruct the ignorant, to warn the careless, to entreat the impenitent to be reconciled to God. She prayed much, and delighted to employ her counsels and efforts, for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. In the work of benevolence she has left her sex a noble example, Her exertions in this cause, are known t have been great, and extended to a variety of objects, and productive of a large amount of good; yet they זויס. 59 96 to never produced in her any neglect of domestic duties, or any transgression of the bounds of strict propriety. Daughters of Zion, let it be your ambition to follow in the glorious path she trod. Believers in Christ, make your religion your governing principle, the business of your lives; and, when your career on earth is about to terminate, you may say, with her, "My Father hath done all things well, he hath made all things to work together for my good." WRITTEN AFTER READING BUCHANAN'S CHRISTIAN When I on fancy's pinion ride, Far o'er the ocean's rolling tide, To India's burning shore, Where the chain'd soul in thraldom sleeps, And Satan his dark empire keeps, My eye a pitying torrent weeps Of grief unfelt before. There, whelm'd in superstition's night, Left to dim Nature's twinkling ray, Yet reason there, a Sovereign owns, Reason reduc'd, can never climb And say, oh Christian! can you view Think-that, though sunk in sin and shame, |