said he, pointing to verse 33. When she had read a few verses, she said, "If you can feel your heart yearning in these desires and prayers, it is your mercy. With much earnestness he replied, "I hope I can." She asked him if he could remember the time when he first began to feel that love to the word of God which he had manifested so much of late. He directly replied, "Oh, yes, I can remember the time very well. I can't tell what made me, but it was about two years ago I felt a great desire to be like the Lord's people, and felt determined to read the Bible through, which I did, and then began it again; but I read it so differently all through the second time. I can't tell how it was, but I saw in it such glorious things, and felt such a love to it, I felt I could never read it enough, and wished I had never read any other book; and I felt great love to the Lord's people. When I was at Dadlington in the summer, I felt much peace and love in my heart, but since I came back I have not felt so much." دو At another time he said. "Mother, if ever I get better again, I hope I shall do double for you.' She being much affected, he said, "What is the matter?" She replied, "Why, I sometimes think it is not the Lord's will you should recover, you are so very weak." He seemed a little disturbed, and she said, "Now I hope I have not made you uncomfortable. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. He can raise you up if He sees fit." Oh, no; it is not that," he said. She asked if it were the exercises of his mind. "Yes," he replied; "but I fear you think I am more exercised than I am." She said, "But it was that which caused you to spend so much time in your room, I suppose Yes," he replied; but he thought perhaps he had done wrong, staying so long in the 66 cold, as he had sometimes done, and injured his body; but seemed to imply he felt his soul of more importance than his body. He afterwards said to his mother he felt it hard to believe, but felt the truth of those lines: "Myself I cannot save, Myself I cannot keep; But strength in Thee I fain would have, But he wanted more feeling. He felt as though he had none. She said, "You would not feel tried about it if you had none, or feel those desires for more;" and she repeated to him Hart's hymn "Ye lambs of Christ's fold, ye weaklings in faith, Who long to lay hold of life by His death; Who fain would believe him, and in your best room Would gladly receive Him, but fear to presume," &c. with which he appeared to be encouraged. 66 Mr. Burns called to see him, and, finding him so much worse, spoke earnestly to him. When he left, Jabez appeared a good deal exercised, and said to his mother, "Mr B. asked me some plain questions." Yes," she replied; "he sees how precarious your health is, and he wanted to get more from you.' Oh, yes," he said, "I know it was right enough;" and then, with much feeling, said, "But, mother, I can't speak of that which I don't feel." This was his continual fear, lest he should say more than he felt, which kept him from saying much which he really did feel. دو 66 About a week before his death, I went to sit with him a little after dinner. I saw he was anxious to say something to me. He appeared agitated, and evidently under the power of a strong temptation. He asked me if I thought unbe lievers could feel any love to the Lord and His people. The Lord was pleased to help me to speak with much liberty and feeling on the subject, and I was struck with the change in his countenance, and the composure with which he responded. The snare was broken, and he appeared to feel the power and receive with love and delight the things spoken, and to be relieved of a great bondage. When reading Mr. P.'s "Meditations" in the Gospel Standard for February, 1864, he observed, “Mother, what an awful day seems approaching! I think them happy who are taken away first; but I feel to prize the Bible the more, as Mr. P. says, in proportion to the attacks made upon it." The last few days before his death he became so weak he could not read much himself, but wanted the word read to him often, and spiritual conversation, but lamented he could not keep his mind more stayed, especially the day before; and in the night he became wandering at intervals. In the morning a friend said to him, "Why, Jabez, you appear a deal worse.' He smiled, and, with much composure, said," Yes, I suppose I am." This being Sabbath day, I could not be much with him. Before dinner I went to see him, and asked him if he felt a good hope through grace. He said, Yes, or I don't know what I should do now." 66 But the adversary was permitted again to harass him. Towards evening he seemed much agitated and afflicted in his mind, until about twenty minutes before he died, when such a change appeared in him that it arrested the attention of those with him. As though suddenly awoke out of a dream, he looked around, with the sweetest smile upon his countnance, bespeaking much inward peace and joy; and at half-past seven, with a gentle sigh, his spirit fled. E. MOUNTFORT.-Gospel Standard. EDITOR'S ADDRESS TO HIS YOUNG FRIENDS. DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-My bundle is so large this month, that I must not try to crowd another handful into it. I can do nothing but pick up a few ears of the wheat of truth, and, twisting them together as a band for my bundle, bid the LITTLE GLEANER start off with its load amidst the showers and sunshine of this April month, wishing the rain of God's blessing and the sunshine of His approval may accompany its course. Untie my band, dear reader, and rub the kernels from every ear. They all contain the wheat of truth. Here they are: TIME IS FLEETING. LIFE IS UNCERTAIN. THE LAW IS JUST. THE THREATS OF GOD ARE REAL. SIN IS DAMNING. MAN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS WORTHLESS. HUMAN WISDOM WILL NEVER LEAD THE SOUL TO HEAVEN. THE NEW BIRTH IS AN INDISPENSABLE PREPARATION FOR LIFE, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. NOTHING CAN WASH AWAY SIN BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS. THE ONLY WAY IN WHICH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN WASH AWAY SIN IS BY THE WORD THROUGH FAITH, THE GIFT OF GOD. THE PATH TO HEAVEN IS A path of self-denial. HELL IS AT THE END OF THE SINNER'S PLEASURES. HEAVEN IS AT THE END OF THE SAINT'S SORROWS. THOSE WHO COME NOT TO CHRIST HERE MUST COME TO JUDGMENT IN THEIR SINS. THOSE WHO COME TO JESUS SHALL IN NO WISE BE CAST OUT. |