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certain objections which he might make. I thought it impossible he could disprove what I intended to say; yea, I felt as though God Himself had no power to deliver me. While thus musing two verses of one of our hymns rushed into my mind, which are as follows:

"When from the dust of death I rise,
To take my mansion in the skies,
E'en this shall then be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived and died for me.

Bold shall I stand at that great day,
For who aught to my charge can lay,
While through Thy blood absolved I am

From sin's tremendous curse and shame ?'

This brought to my mind past days' experience, the happy hours spent at God's house, in conversation with His people, in reading and hearing His word, in walking in His ways, and doing His will; and then I thought of the time when I could sing those verses with such joy and confidence and assurance, feeling that whenever God was pleased to call me, heaven was my home. Ah! I thought these were happy days, sweetly spent in prayer and praise; but how unlike the present moment. These thoughts overcame me, and I was obliged to leave my breakfast; and, like Peter, turn aside to weep over the loss of these blessings. I did not go to, but I felt in the evening I should like to go and hear my beloved minister preach if I could get in some corner where no eye saw me but God's. Then there was a desire for prayer. But, oh, what a trial. I felt, how could I approach that God whom I had treated so unkindly for all the mercies and benefits He had conferred upon me, after He had granted me the best gift that heaven ould bestow, the gift of eternal life. I felt I

never should be able to draw near to Him in prayer. I knew not what to do; but, while thus thinking, two verses of a hymn our children sometimes sing were applied with great sweetness and power. They are as follows:

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"He is a kind and gracious Lord,
Love fills His gentle breast;
"Come unto me," is His own word,
"And I will give you rest."

Think how He answered praying Paul,
And sinking Peter, too;

And so, if you for mercy call,

He'll hear and answer you.'

"Dear friend, these were sweet and welcome words, 'Come unto me, and I will give you rest.' They were indeed like 'good news from a far country.' Rest was very much needed after passing through such a conflict with the powers of darkness. It was indeed a great fight of affliction. During the Monday and Tuesday these words dwelt sweetly on my mind,' Come unto me, and I will give you rest.' This encouraged me to fall on my knees and pour out my soul to God, when I enjoyed communion and fellowship with Him. This was indeed a time of refreshing and humbling of soul. I did indeed go on my way' rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' The Sunday following I was at ; the text was, 'I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago' (2 Cor. xii. 2). With what blessedness and sweetness and peace I heard the Gospel proclaimed that morning; and one hymn that was sung was applied with such sweetness that it seems to me I can never forget it. It was: If Jesus be ours, we have a true Friend' (hymn 213). Now I can indeed testify of God's goodness towards me, and

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say that He is a faithful covenant-keeping God; that He never leaves nor forsakes His people, even when they feel determined to forsake Him. Even when I felt determined to defy Him and run upon the thick bosses of His buckler, and rush madly down the broad road which leads to destruction, yet in His kindness and compassion He made a way for my escape. Although I was changed, yet He was not changed.

"His loving heart is still

Eternally the same.'

Well might one write

"Often I feel my sinful heart

Prone from my Jesus to depart;
But, though I have Him oft forgot,

His lovingkindness changes not.'

Since the Lord delivered me I have had a calm and peaceful mind; the temptation has not since returned. I have lost the love and desire for this science (phrenology), which nothing but the grace of God could have removed. I feel I know not how to praise Him enough. I know not how to exalt His grace when I think of the kind, loving, and tender way in which He has drawn me to Himself. It seems marvellous; I cannot comprehend it. Well might one say :

66

"Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days,

It lays in heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise.'

May He who is the God of peace be pleased to speak to your soul; may He lift up the light of His countenance upon you, and lead you to sit at His feet and receive of His word, and feed on Jesus, who is the living Bread, which came down from

heaven; and unto His name shall be all the praise. I must conclude by wishing you a prosperous journey through this wilderness into the eternal

city.

"I remain, yours truly,

"JOSEPH T.”

The following letter has also been put into my hands by one who was intimate with Joseph, but when he received it from him I can hardly ascer tain. My impression is that it was written subsequently to the one above.

"DEAR FRIEND,-Through the grace and mercy of our God I am still in the same state of mind as when you saw me last-still living in communion and fellowship with God, being enabled to draw nigh the mercy-seat with holy boldness, and praise God for having called me out of darkness into marvellous light. You cannot tell how blessed it seems to have this quiet peace and calm rest after being exercised so much. Well might the Apostle say, "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding! Truly this is something which is more precious than all this world can afford. There is nothing in comparison with it. Well might David say, 'O sing unto the Lord a new song: for He hath done marvellous things.' What is so marvellous as a sinner saved by grace,' a 'rebel made a son,' and enabled to draw near to God, and, Abba Father say? I have found some of the hymns in our new book very sweet and precious to my soul, especially one where it says,

666 'Thou, Lord, wilt carry on
And perfectly perform
The work Thou hast begun,
In me, a sinful worm.'

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"Oh, how precious the thought that He will bring us safely through, in spite of sin and Satan, because He has given us eternal life, and has said for our comfort, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.' How blessed to think we have nothing to do towards it, that He does it all for us. How blessed, then, to be a sheep, to be washed in His blood, to be complete in Him. I sometimes look forward to the time when I shall awake in His likeness; when I shall see Him as He is, and love Him with an unsinning heart; then shall I be enabled to praise Him as I ought; my soul often longs to flee away and be at rest. One of our hymns beautifully expresses what I feel, where it says,

"I feel this mud-walled cottage shake,
And long to see it fall,

That I my willing flight may take
To Him who is my all.'

There shall be no sorrow nor sighing there—no jarring note; our tongues shall never weary, our voices never fail, singing the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into marvellous light;' then we shall indeed 'shout to Abba endless praise.' To-morrow is the Sabbath day, ' of all the week the best.' Oh, may He who is the Sun of righteousness be pleased to rise upon us with healing in His wings-may He lift up the light of His countenance upon us and give us peace, and give us an earnest and foretaste of Heaven; then we shall shout, Glory to the God of sovereign grace.'

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"From your loving brother in the Lord,

دو

"JOSEPH T―."

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