and peaceable temper, and of fuch | forted. She faid that for about a fortnight she had been praying, and that it seemed as though the could help praying no more than fhe could help breathing. Not long after this, fhe fell into darknefs, fearing that fhe was yet under the power of fin, and being convinced, that, without holinefs, no man can fee the Lord. She complained of being confused in her mind, and being unable to think steadily on any thing. She defired Chriftians to converse free a deportment as to be very agreeable to the feveral families, in which she refided at times in the capacity of an inftructor of children. She faid, during her laft illness, that he had been many times heretofore, under awakening, and, at feveral times, greatly concerned for her foul; and, therefore, was aftonished that fhe had been able to continue in fuch ignorance of divine things, as fhe now found herself to be in. She obferved, that, when her brother's fon, aly with her, and to examine her youth of about fourteen years of age, died fuddenly, (which was two years before her death,) her mind was ftrongly impreffed with a fense of the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time of its coming; and with a belief that he had not long to live, though then he was in health. But, notwithstanding her frequent awakenings, it doth not appear that she was the fubject of any fpecial conviction, 'till her daft illness commenced; when the fpirit of God, by means of her reading Mr. Gray's fermon, (to ufe her own expreffion) tore her all to pieces. One clofely. She feemed to be afraid that they would think better of her than they ought to think. Thefe words, " Be not deceived, God is not mocked," the often repeated. After this, fhe spoke of death with compofure. time, being diftreffed, fhe was afked the occafion of it: She faid, I am not at all concerned about hav ing any injuftice done to me. A good God cannot do me wrong. I am not afraid of death; but to think of being an enemy to God to all eternity appears dreadful. She was asked whether the divine character appeared amiable to her? She answered, it appears fo at She now fpoke of the fin of times; but I cannot think that I her nature, and of her moral im- have fuch a fenfe of his amiable potence to do good, and acknowl- character, as Chriftians have. edged God's righteousness in pun- Her friends were affected with her ifhing finners. She feemed to be cafe, converfed with her, and convinced of the enmity in her prayed with her; but God's time heart againft holinefs. She was of deliverance was not yet come. in great diftrefs of mind; fpent About a fortnight before her much of her time in reading and death, fhe appeared to be more praying, and often afked others calm in her mind. She faid, that to pray for her. About two fhe felt at times, a little more fatmonths before her death, there ap-isfied as to the ftate of her foul. peared an alteration in her mind. She faid, that he had fome difcovery of the mercy of God through Chrift; and the mentioned texts of feripture, by which hermind was enlightened and com Being afked, whether fhe were willing that a fovereign God fhould do with her as he pleased? She answered, I think I am; and looking up with a plea fant countenance, added, and he will de ཝཱ་ with me as he pleases. She appeared to be glad that he was in the Lord's hand. On the Tuesday preceding her death, fhe ftrangled, was thought to be dying, and the neighbors were called in. Seeing them around her, after a revival, she asked her mother, whether they viewed her to be dying? Her mother replied, fhould you be furprifed, if we did think fo? She I said, no, not at all. py to be dying. She charged her attendants to tell her, whenever they should perceive that to be the cafe. Once the called to her mother, and faid, I think that I am dying, and, if it is the will of God, I am glad. After a little while, fhe faid, I think I am not dying yet, and defired her parents to lie down again and get fome fleep, and faid, it may be that I fhall fleep a little too. About break of day, the watcher notified us that fhe appeared to be faint. We went to her immediately. Death appeared in her looks. She was fenfible that she was dying, and was calm and ferene in her mind. Not feeing her father, fhe faid, where is my dear father? When he came near to her, fhe faid, I defire father to pray for me." He afked her, what the defired him to pray for? She replied, pray that my faith may hold out, and that Í may After this the converfed but little 'till Wednesday evening, when it pleafed God to lift up the light of his countenance upon her, and to fill her foul with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. She fpoke of the love of God through Chrift, faying, glorious Chrift! O bleffed Jefus, my Lord and my God! Her joy appeared to be free from enthusiasm, or any thing of a vifionary nature. She appeared to be entirely compofed, and faid, that she never felt fo hap-have patience to the end. After before in all her life, as now. On Thursday fhe expreffed a defire to leave this world, and be with Christ. She was afked, whether fhe were not willing to wait God's time? She looked up, and smiled and said yes, yes God's bleffed time is beft. She converfed freely, and faid many things, which could not be recollected, and many more, which could not be distinctly heard, by reafon of her weaknefs, and coughing. She no more complained of darkness. She was defirous of fpeaking to her friends, and faid, that the reason why she had not counfelled them before, was, becaufe fhe thought that no body had fo bad a heart as he had But I wish I had strength now to warn my friends to prepare to meet me in glory. She appeared at times this night prayer, the asked for her mother, and looking on her with a fmilé, faid, my mother, my mother, my dear mother, I am dying. Her mother asked her, whether the was afraid to die? She replied, no more than if I were going to fleep. A little after she revived, and faid, I am dying; but I believe that I fhall live fome hours yet, and she did. In which time many of the neighbors came in, and fhe kept speaking with great earneftnefs; but her voice was fo weak that but a little part of what the faid could be understood. She faid, O bleffed Jefus, I caft myself at thy bleffed feet! O glorious Jefus ! Heis my Lord, and my God. And thus fhe fell afleep in Jefus, as we truft, on January 15th, 1790, in the 34th year of her age. She died of the pulmonary confumption. The foregoing narrative was fubftantially written by her venerable father, the late Deac. Benjamin Thomas, of whom fome memoirs were publifhed in the last number. MESS'RS. EDITORS, TH HERE are doubtless, many who truft they are reconciled to the great doctrines of the gofpel, and hence entertain a hope of eternal life; who, yet, for fome reafons, or perhaps none that are fatisfactory, neglect that important duty enjoined by Chrift, of confeffing him before men. They complain that they are walking in darkness without light-they hope indeed, but with a great mixture of fear and doubt-they have fo little fenfible comfort of hope, or clearnefs of evidence, that they fhrink from the duty as unqualified, and dare not proceed to the folemn tranfaction of covenanting with God. Such; you will agree, are intitled to your benevolent attention. For the perufal and benefit of fuch, the following letter is prefented. It was written by alady to her friend; and being a practical comment upon that fubject, it is hoped may be as a voice from behind them alluring them to the duty of uniting with thofe who call themfelves by the name of Ifrael. fufion, and diftrefs of nations, we fee him building it up in our land, and in other parts of the world, bowing the hearts of the finful children of men to his fceptre, and manifefting himself as a fin pardoning God; how ought every heart to rejoice in his univerfal government! What peculiar ad vantages do the difpenfations of Providence in the prefent day af ford, for contemplating the di vine character! At the fame time, it must be very trying to the feelings of one, who having encountered the perils of a boifterous ocean, with pain anxiety and diftrefs when fear fat on every wave, hope sprang up with favoring gales, and dif appointment uniformly fucceeded; to find one's felf again toffed upon the fame tumultuous fea in a poor bark, fhattered by former tempests amidst furrounding rocks. How neceflary is a skilful pilot; and one, who can also command even the winds, and the sea, and they obey him! O to reft wholly upon him! This is but a faint epitome of my paft life, and of my prefent views. I feel, my dear friend, as if I may with confidence open my heart to you, upon a fubject, in which I know you are so much interefted-I mean the advancement of Chrift's kingdom. And I truft you will more fenfibly re With thefe views and wifhes, it is humbly fubmitted to your dif-joice, in the hope that he will pofal. E. M. June. 22d, 1799. admit me a humble member of his family, than a stranger whom you never faw. You know, Madam, a MY DEAR FRIEND, little, and but a little, how I have I T muft be a delightful fubject always lived in darkness. And it of contemplation to every be- is not at all ftrange that I had no nevolent heart that Chrift hath a light, fince I never obeyed Christ's church in the world, and that the commands. It appears from his gates of hell fhail never prevail a- own words, that obedience is the gainst it. only teft of difcipleship, and the When in this day of great con-only ground, or condition upon which we may hope to enjoy the gation to devote myself to him.→→ I have fince been received as a member of the vifible church of Chrift, and I defire an intereft in your interceffions at the throne of grace, that I may not dishonor that great name I profefs to love. I have not thofe high exercises that many have and which I have fo often hoped for to be as it were taken up and fet a great way forward on the fpiritual journey at once; and to have but little to do afterwards to arrive at complete fanctification. But I am determined, if Chrift will give me the Christian armour, to dif verfed with me with refpect to joining the church; and a number of my Chriftian friends have done the fame-but I have been waiting and hoping for more light, and better fatisfaction about my own ftate viewing it a duty, which at times I have felt equally afraid either to neglect or per-pute every inch of ground, and form; while I have had a thoufand very wrong and wicked feel ings, befides a great degree of floth and inattention; till about ten days fince when I was told that Mrs. S, and a young woman were about to be examined for admiffion into the church, it affected my mind very much. I was convinced there would never be a better time than to go maintain a conftant warfare. And O how gracious the promise, that " to them that have no might, he increaseth ftrength." If he leaves me I fhall fall at once. How quickly the branch will wither when feparated from the vine! I feel that it is not beft for my proud heart to have all thofe anfporting views that some have, left I fhould be exalted above measure. They are the foul humbling views I need, and think I defire; and I hope (O what prefumption it would be to hope it, did we ftand in our own ftrength) I hope, through the infinite riches of redeeming love, ere long to -fee and hear and know All I defir'd or wifh'd below," to be filled with the knowledge and love of an holy God, and be fatisfied in the image and likeness of Chrift. Are all these feelings a delufion? Am I deceiving myfelf? I cannot feel them to be a delufion? I know that Chrift's kingdom will be glorious let what will become of me; and in this I do, and will rejoice. Pray for me my friend that I may have conftant fupport from I "DEAR SIR, HAVE long delayed complying with your requeft to ftate to you the exercife of my mind, on the death of a defirable child. But the fcene is ftill fresh in my mind. Previous to the fickness of my child, it repeatedly occurred to my mind-" God will vifit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation"—and I as often made fupplication that the evil of affliction might come on meas for these sheep what have they done?" I well remember where I was ftanding, and the feelings of my mind, when I made this requeft, the day before the child's illnefs. A fhort and very diftreffing ficknefs clofed his life. The fecond vifit, the physician faid, his diffolution was near. You will at once conclude the precious foul, to be saved or loft, ought to be near my heart. Our hope was in God. And as the parting moment drew near, I found ftrength and fupport beyond my expectation, or any thing I ever thought took place in this world in fuch parting moments. I found it eafier to bury my own, than another's child. under eight years of age, he was With refpect to the child, tho ready in afking questions, and was earneft to have a mother inftruct him upon religious fubjects. He was at a meeting of the youth and children, for prayer, the evetaken fick-and fome of the laft of ning of the night in which he was his words were, "I want to be where the good folks are." I mention this as it is poffible fuch tender minds have a taste and may happiness in hearing young people pray and fing together which they cannot defcribe, only by wanting to be where they are." I found the words of the Saviour precious in the 14 firft verfes of the 18th chapter of Matt. efpecially the 10th verfe-"Take heed that ye despise not one of thefe little ones. For I fay unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Refpecting parting with the child, I think I never felt calmer when he fell into a natural sleep, than when he breathed his laft. My comfort fenfibly rose higher and higher from day to day. At length I began to reflect, and query with myself, what a great finner I was! with a view to take my place-the lowest place. But I could not, by this, check the rifing comfort, in view of God. I then thot, poffibly my child's cafe might be unhappy. But my mind was ferene—and filled with a comfort I cannot exprefs. I |