"Then loudest of the crowd you'll sing, She told me the Lord had been good to her, He had given her such kind friends. "Yes, the Lord has provided for me; He sent His minister to see me. I was afraid He would not. I do thank Him for His goodness. I deserve these things less than any one else in the world." She appeared fatigued, and said, "Oh, I must not talk, it hurts me so.' She lay quiet for a short time, then begged of the Lord to let her have a good night— 666 "My soul through many changes goes, During the night she cried out, "No, devil, no! I am among the Lord's people yet. He's trying to worry me." "What a mercy, my dear, he cannot destroy you!" I said. After a time, seeing her smile, I asked, "What are you smiling at?" she looked so happy. "Oh, it's my Saviour! He says He'll not leave me." She I went down-stairs about half-past four in the morning, and left my dear brother and a friend with her. After I went back again, she began to beg of her dear Lord to fetch her. Seeing my dear brother in the room, she asked, "Is that Mr. B-?" I said, "No, my dear, he can do you no good now; you want the Great Physician." raised her voice and said, "I want the Great God. He knew I should die, and He died to save me. Jesus is all I want." She began to get weaker, and asked me if I thought she would last much longer. I told her I thought not; but I hoped, she would wait with patience. "Bless the Lord, then," she said, "when I am gone, for taking me." I was watching her sufferings, when she smiled, 66 66 and said, "Oh, my dear sister, I hope you will never come to be like this." I said, "My dear, I shall have to come to a dying bed." Yes, I know that," she said, "but I hope you won't suffer as I do. Do, Lord, fetch me home; take me home; but not my will, but Thine, be done. ‘Be not dismayed, I am thy God and will give thee aid."" "Oh, my dear,” I said, "I do feel so pleased to see you so resigned." About ten o'clock on Wednesday morning she wished to be raised in the bed, as her head was so low, and after being moved she was very ill, and had a terrible conflict. She looked at me and said, 66 This is death." I said, Are you happy ?" "Yes," she whispered. Then, after a few minutes, she looked at us, and we caught the words, "Quite happy." After lying in this state for about three hours, she revived a little, put up her hands, and said, "Oh, I thought I was going home, but the Lord has disappointed me; this is the third time; I can never go through another conflict like this. Do fetch me home, my dear Jesus;" then softly adding, "not my will, but Thine, be done." She appeared restless, and wanted to be moved on her side, which she had not done for some months past, shook hands with each of us, and said, "Good bye, good bye; I feel so cold, rub my hands; and I feel so sleepy. I don't want to go to sleep, for if I do I shall never wake again." I said, "My dear, I hope you will soon fall asleep in Jesus, it grieves us to see you suffer so." My dear mother took one of her hands in hers, and when she tried to take her hand away, the dying one held it tighter. She went to sleep, and, as she said, she never woke again. I was not in the room when she departed, but had not left her more than four or five minutes when I was called up. My dear mother, who held her hand, did not notice her, until some one in the room said, "She is gone,' so quietly did she pass away, without a sigh, groan, or struggle, to be, I believe, for ever with the Lord, at twenty minutes past four in the afternoon, in the twentieth year of her age. BIBLE SUBJECTS FOR EACH SUNDAY IN AUGUST. 21. Aug. 1. Find texts to prove that though man has lost his power to obey, God still demands in His law obedience at his hands. 22. Aug. 8. Find texts to prove that man can never be saved by his own works. 23. Aug. 15. Find texts to prove the helplessness of man to do anything that is good before regeneration. 24. Aug. 22. Find texts to prove the necessity of regeneration. 25. Aug. 20. Find texts to prove that regeneration is the work of God in the soul. A SWEET SAYING. "NEVER shall I forget the thrill of pleasure," says Samuel Kilpin, "which the last words of a dear child produced in my mind. It came from his lips as he lay dying on my shoulder. 66 He repeated the words of Christ, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not;' and added, That is a sweet saying, is it not, uncle?' and then that moment he died, to know its sweetness. "He came from school in good health; he was gathering strawberries in the morning, and was dead in my arms at eleven the same night!'' CORRESPONDENCE. Letter to the Editor of the SOWER and GLEANER. DEAR SIR,-I feel I must give my feeble testimony to the value of your little works. I have been a reader of them for nearly two years, and I can say my soul has been often refreshed by the reading of them and greatly encouraged. I am sure there is no one, if they knew the value of them and of their immortal souls, but what would take them in. I long for them from month to month as persons long for their natural food. I had not seen the SoWER till a number was given me by one of the deacons of the chapel. From that time I have taken it in, and I am sure, dear sir, those three funeral sermons that were in the SOWER of last year were indeed sweet to me. Oh, how my soul was drawn out towards them, and many tears did I shed over them, for indeed it was refreshing to me to ponder over them. It is true the GLEANER is a magazine for the young, but I must say there is many a sweet crumb in it for the aged as well as for the young. But, dear sir, I hope you will excuse me when I tell you that ever since I have had a concern for my own soul, I never have been able to attend on the preached word. For this last year I have been laid on a bed of sore affliction; not able to move on my right side nor on my left, but where I am put, there I am obliged to stay. Sometimes I have no ease for weeks together, on account of the forming of large abscesses, which cause great pain. Oh, I wish that many of your young readers may attend more to the everlasting welfare of their souls, and not be so much taken up with the vanity of time; for when I was in health I had no desire to attend the Lord's house, but now I am laid on this bed of sickness, and have a desire to do so: but I am deprived of that blessing. Therefore, I hope it may be a warning unto many. But I know that it is the Lord of heaven that must create that desire in the soul. For the first four or five years of my illness, I had no more concern for my soul than the beasts of the field, although I was brought down to the very gates of the grave, and all around me despaired of my life; but the Lord saw fit to raise me up again, and then I hope He created in me a concern for my soul's salvation, which has still grown more and more. But I know I shall never rise from this bed of sickness, for all the use I have in my body is my hands. Oh, what are all my afflictions when compared with what the dear Lord Jesus bore for poor lost perishing sinners? It is no more than a drop into the wide ocean; yet He deserved none, but I have merited it all, and more than all, for it is of the Lord's mercy I am not consumed. It is sad that so many should think that their trials here are sufficient for their salvation hereafter; but I know that all the pain that I could bear could not atone for one sin; for "none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good." But as for my own works and righteousness I have none; they are as "filthy rags," I esteem them no more, but it is my desire and longing to be clothed in that spotless robe of righteousness the dear Lord Jesus wrought out for poor sinners. These words of the psalmist breathe out my feelings: "My soul thirsteth for Thee; my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; my soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning;" and Jesus hath said "they that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled," and surely these words cannot fail. I |