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and bear a new impression, arising from supernatural principles, and altogether appropriate to the man, who is "born of God."

Though Miss Hutchinson was called, in youth, from the stage of life, her removal was not sudden. For more than two years she lay in the furnace; but the Messenger of the covenant sat as a refiner. A brief account of what passed in her last hours will doubtless be acceptable to, the reader.

When speaking of the deep convictions she formerly had of sin, she observed, "At that time I saw more of the danger, and felt more of the terrors of sin; but now I see more of its exceeding sinfulness." At different times, she addressed the servants in a very suitable and impressive manner; telling them, "she had no dependence on any thing she had done, but that the ground of her hope was Christ, who had done all things for her," and repeatedly expressed her great love to him on that account. A short time before her departure, on be ing told, "You are very poorly," she said, "I am quite willing, quite ready; for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day." When asked by the minister, who attended her, "Is there any subject, or view of truth, which, in your present circumstances, particularly impresses your mind, and which you would wish me to recommend to the congregation? She answered, after a short pause, with inexpressible composure, "the faithfulness of God;" and, immediately after he retired, she repeat

ed the words, "Lacked ye any thing?" adding, with ineffable sweetness of countenance, "Nothing Nothing!" and expressing, at the same time, her wish, that, if a funeral sermon were preached, this might be the text. When speaking of a near relation, whom she wished to see, and who had been written to at her request, she said, "I should be happy to see him; but, if I do not, I shall be still happier; tell him, if I do not, that I am complete in Jesus"-often repeating with peculiar emphasis, "Complete in him!" On that passage being repeated, "Death is swallowed up in victory," she instantly continued, in the exulting strain of the apostle; "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!" After re covering from fainting, she seemed disappointed, and observed, "that her sight and hearing hav, ing failed her, she expected to have seen the gates of heaven opened to receive her," After this, she arranged her concerns for this life, and spake of death, as if she had been going a journey; she even gave directions respecting her funeral. "Well," she said, "this poor body will once more go into the house of God.” And after a short interval added, "I can now resign you all up, I am going to glory! Do you not wish you were going with me? Well, we shall all shortly meet again! Jesus is the hope of glory!" So strong was her desire to depart, and to be with Christ, that, on reviving a little, she said, with tears, "I feel much better; this has been the greatest trial Į have had! I begin to think of

soming back again!" And, a short time after, "If I desire to live, it is to tell what the Lord hath done for my soul! I have not strength to do it now." On the same day she said, "I am very happy, indeed, and quite willing to go, or to continue in the same state." Afraid of losing this sweet composure of mind, she several times repeated that verse of Mr. Cowper : "But ah! my inward spirit cries,

Still bind me to thy sway; Else the next cloud, that veils my skies, Drives all these thoughts away."

But a faithful God was better to her than her fears. Not that she was a stranger to those trying exercises, which arise from the absence of sensible enjoyment, and which are more or less common to the people of God. Even in this awful season she said, "I walk in darkness, I have no light; but my stay is on my God! I have no sensible comforts; but what are comforts! they are not the ground of my hope." The feeble hearted may learn from this, that their temptation is no strange thing;" and they will

see, from the sequel, that "God is faithful, who will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able;" for her soul was afterwards filled with such manifestations of divine love, that her mortal strength could scarcely sustain the impression. She said, in the midst of this, "I am not in extacies, but I cannot express how happy I am. This is no new thing. I know not what the joys of heaven may be, but this body can scarcely sustain what I now feel!" Repeating those beautiful lines of Dr. Watts;

"A mortal paleness on my cheek,
But glory in my soul !"

When her brother arrived, she was very happy, and expressed her readiness and desire to depart. "Now," said she, "I have taken leave of all, I have nothing to do but to die!" Just before she died she said, with composure," I am going!" and on its being observed to her, "You are going to glory," she replied, with a faltering voice, "Yes; I am going to glory! I love my Jesus! I love my Jesus!"

Religious Communications.

SERIOUS THOUGHTS

ADDRESSED TO THE AGED.

Is passing through this probationary state, many are the changes, and numerous the trials, which fall to the lot of men. Be ing mere sojourners on the earth, they are not long seen in any one situation. Their morning sun rises, it quickly reaches its meridian, and, if the span of life be lengthened out, soon gives place

to the protruding shades of night. In youth, their worldly prospects. are commonly brightening; in old age, they are daily diminishing. In every period, and under every condition of life, the supports and consolation derived from religion are necessary; but, never more so, than when "the evil days" of old age come on, when the sun,

the moon and the stars are darkened, when the clouds return after the rain, when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, when the grasshopper becomes a burden, and desire fails. Comparing the vigour and sprightliness of youth with the infirmities and decrepitude of old age, the latter appears to be a gloomy period. But there is a path plainly marked out in the word of God, which, if it has been entered on and pursued, not only counterbalances all the evils and burdens attendant on old age, but renders that period, in many respects, the most honourable of any part of human life. Alluding to this path, and the happy consequences of walking in it, the wise king of Israel, guided by the inspiration of the holy Spirit, observed, The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

To make this paper the more Interesting and instructive to that class of readers for whom it is especially designed, it may be pertinent to notice certain appearances in aged persons, which never fail to render the evening of their days, with all their infirmities, honourable, quiet and happy. 1. When this is the case, they are found fearing God.

It is recorded in the scriptures of truth, that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Of no person, whether old or young, learned or unlearn ed, can it be said, that he is wise, in the scripture sense, who does not possess this fear. All men have, by nature, hearts which are "enmity against God," and which are "not subject to his law, neither indeed can be." To begin to fear and love God, therefore, is the

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same thing as to become a new creature, or to be born of the holy Spirit. When aged persons are found in the way of righteousness, they are found in Christ, who, by his Spirit, has renewed their hearts, and inclined them to walk with God on the earth. Many, doubtless, who are far advanced in life, and whose probationary state is drawing to a close, are total strangers to the true knowledge of God, and, though they may have been loaded with worldly honours, have all their days been walking the downward road. Nothing short of true religion, that religion which is the fruit of a regenerated heart, and which consists essentially in selfdenial, will distinguish the hoary head from the wicked in general; because there is nothing, short of this, which will translate one of the fallen race of Adam from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. True religion is the lowest condition on which a standing in the family of the Redeemer, and the hope of a peaceful departure from the world, can be maintained. the aged must possess, or they will be strangers to every degree of that support, which they will need, when they see all their worldly prospects contracting.

This

2. Aged persons, in order to possess that hope, which is an "anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the vail," must not be novices in experimental religion.

Of those of our fallen race, who belong to the kingdom of Christ, much the greatest part were.called into that kingdom in their youthful days. They were called, and justified, and sanctified,

that, being early in the school of Christ, they might be fitted for the work they had to do on earth, and be "made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Few, it is be lieved, begin the great work of preparing for eternity, in old age, after they have spent, in sin, almost the whole of their state of probation. The remark has often been made, and, probably, it is founded in truth, that the characters of men are generally formed and fixed for eternity, before they have passed the meridian of their days.

Although they, who turn unto the Lord and engage in his service, at the eleventh hour, will, through sovereign mercy, be accepted; yet they will go out of the world, with little experience in the things of religion. Their knowledge of God and of them selves will be very small; and the righteous Judge, who will reward men according to their deeds, will discriminate between them, and those who long denied themselves to build up his king dom and to promote his glory. Christian knowledge is usually the result of long and diligent attention to the things of religion. Regeneration, or the implantation of grace in the heart, is an instantaneous change; but sanctification, or growth in Christian knowledge and experience, is a work of time. It is not effected at once, any more than the infant child grows instantly to a state of maturity and manhood.

In

that divine command recorded in the sacred volume, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, it is necessarily implied, that Christians, in order to attain to any eminence in religion, must Vol. III. No. 4.

make it their first and greatest concern. They must early enter the school of Christ, and be faithful in it.

Aged persons will appear to be novices in that knowledge, which is so desirable and important in the near prospect of eternity, if the morning and meridian of their days were spent in sin, and if they did not turn unto the Lord until their natural powers began to fail, under the weight of years. How could it be otherwise with them? How could they expect to have much knowledge of God or of themselves, with little pains and short experience? The present is a world of correction and discipline. In various ways, God is presenting to all, seasonable and important instruction; and they who are wise are gaining knowledge, under their advantages. Do the aged appear in character, or as they ought to appear, if, compared with Christians in general, they are mere babes in experimental religion? This, in ordinary cases, must evince, that they were either very late in their attention to the great business of life, or that they have attended to it with criminal indifference. But, when we see hoary heads eminent in Christian experience, eminent in prayer, and mighty in the scriptures, being "spirit ual men of full age, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil," we may know it is the result of having been long in the service of Christ, and of having been, in some good measure, faithful to God and to their own souls. It is pleasing to see those, who are old in years, well versed in the knowledge of divine things, and appearing not to have just

begun, but to have made great advances, in the Christian race. When they can converse understandingly on the character of God, on the depravity and treachery of the heart, and on the nature of the Christian warfare, they give evidence of having profited, by living long in this world, and of their ripening for the grave and for heaven.

3. The aged, in order to appear with honour in their standing, must be sound in faith.

the gospel are familiar to their minds. Indecision, with res pect to the doctrines of grace, is not honourable in old men. It neither becomes their hoary heads, nor does it comport with their near approach, to the eternal world.

4. The aged appear honourable, when the families they have trained up are well instructed in the things of religion.

Children, generally, exhibit evidence of the manner in which they have been educated by their parents. Such parents as walk in the fear of the Lord, and main

If

An old person, though he may exhibit some evidence of real religion, does not appear to advantage he does not reflect hon-tain consistency of character beour on Christ, nor on himself, if be be a novice in the doctrines of the gospel. On the contrary, he exhibits melancholy proof of his great neglect of God's word.. The apostle Paul, among many other directions, charged Titus to speak the things which become sound doctrine; that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith." A knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel is not gained, by the study of a few hours or a few days, but is the fruit of a long and careful attention to the Bible, which is the fountain of light. To have a clear view of the scheme of salvation, revealed in the holy scriptures, is a great at tainment: Considering the long opportunities for instruction, enjoyed by the aged, especially such as have lived under the light of the gospel, we have reason to look for this attainment in them. They ought to give proof, that they are thoroughly acquainted "with the sacred volume, that they have thought and conversed much on religion, and that the leading and essential doctrines of

fore their houses, make deep im-
pressions on the minds of their
children. This will be especial-
ly true, in those cases where pa-
rents possessed religion, while
their children were young.
they have observed religious or-
der in their houses, and conduct-
ed so as to adorn their Christian
profession, their children, gen-
erally, to say the least, are inclin-
ed to treat religion, and religious
institutions, with outward res-
pect. This will appear when
parents are old, and even after
they have gone the way of all the
earth. The hearts of some par-
ents are frequently filled with
grief, that their children are dis-
'posed to treat them with no more
respect, and that they can have
DO more influence over them.
Perhaps after all, they them-
selves, by their own unfaithful-
ness, and by their unwise treat-
nent of their children, have laid
the foundation for this grief.
They are not respected by their
children, because they have nev-
er respected themselves, in the
view of their children. Far
would

the writer of these

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