"You, dear S, I do love you! I could not tell you this before; I can now I am going, I must. When I see you arrive in glory, I will make heaven's vault ring!"

Has not that death-chamber a voice still to that little band of labourers who recall the dreary season, when their hearts were discouraged and their hopes low, and a shadow seemed to have fallen on their work, as they taxed their insufficiency and their unworthiness, in that they had not prospered as they desired? Yet the Lord whom they served was not unmindful of them. He was standing with outstretched hand ready to bless, opening wide the treasure-house of his love, whilst the loudest chiding that came from the God-man was, as to His disciples of old, "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" Now, "Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." Looking "not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.... for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

"Be strong and

of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed."

"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall MY word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

When he could not speak for pain and weariness, he made signs for a hymn to be sung; but if in the least degree incorrect, he would strive to join in it, as on the eve of his departure, the lines,

"Nothing could for sin atone,

But Thy blood, and Thine alone.

"Nothing in my hand I brought,
But to Thee for mercy sought;
Naked came to Thee for dress,
Helpless looked to Thee for grace;
Yet though lost, undone I came,
Washed and justified I am.

"While I draw this fleeting breath,
And my eyelids close in death;

When I soar to worlds unknown,
Still of Thee I'll sing alone;
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee."

One there expressed a wish to unite in prayer with him, but, to his surprise, H― declined, saying,—

"I have done with prayer! All is turned into praise with me!"

The schoolmaster and his wife watched by him until the dawn, when they went to rest. As the night wore on, the dying boy lay calm and still, resting on the promises of the "faithful and true." His breathing became shorter, and his speech less articulate; but the blissful peace was unruffled, and the broken words were all words of praise. Early in the morning one of the teachers went to see him; he was quite conscious, and recognized the friend who moistened his parched lips, and spoke some words of cheer; to all of which he responded,

"Praise God!"

Soon after this the master's wife returned to her watch by the happy boy; H- - roused himself to welcome her, saying,

"I am so glad you are come!"

"Shall I send for S?" (her husband) she

asked.

"No!" replied H

"I only wish you to

be here when I go. Do you think it will be very long before I am with Jesus?"

"No, dear," replied his kind friend; and she raised the fainting head, and supported it on her shoulder.

"Then kiss me. Good bye."

The words had hardly fallen from his lips when an expression of intense joy kindled in his face, his eyes beamed with rapture, and his eager hand pointed to the glory on which he was entering; he uttered an exclamation of delight,

"Light! Home !

......

Light!"

These were the only words that could be distinguished, as, sinking back in the tender arms that held him, the Ragged School Boy exchanged his miserable abode on earth, for a light that can never wax dim, to wait with Jesus till He comes to reign; and swell the glad song, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us

kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him; and they also which pierced Him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so. Amen."

Many a weeping companion visited that little chamber to look upon the empty tabernacle of him who had been both a scholar and a teacher. The ray of rapturous joy the Spirit had shed upon the lifeless face of the Ragged School Boy, on its passage to its eternal rest, remained like a seal of his happiness to the last. The tongue that had but faltered forth praise in broken accents, was now unloosed in joyful exultation beyond the river, telling with saints and angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, of the faithfulness of Him who is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. He was basking in a glory which the heart of man cannot conceive, for he was with JESUS. Is it not written,

"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour."