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more quiet. Still I could not give it up.

My

daughter came into my room, and said, "You will be glad to hear he is better; he has spoken so comfortably to me," &c.

I was taken up in the afternoon (16th) and saw a great change in his countenance. I said, "What a mercy to see you a little better." He said, "It is; I can say with David, 'Praise the Lord for all His mercies, and

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear,'

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'Though painful at present,' &c. I am quite comfortable now, though my congh is very bad. I found that hymn, O Zion afflicted,' so suitable to me in body and mind; but I am only triumphant as the Lord smiles." 66 Then," I said, "you can say

"If Thou, my Jesus, still be nigh,

Cheerful I live and joyful die,'" &c.

Nov. 25th. I was very much blessed in re ding the 25th and 26th chapters of Isaiah. Went up to my son, who was too ill to speak. Sat a long time, when these words came forcibly to my mind, 66 This is our God, we have waited for Him." He said, "I am waiting for Him now, and panting."

29th. He seemed a little revived, and sat up two hours, although he had not been able for some time before to have his bed made. He read Psalm cii., and said that was suitable to his case.

Dec. 2nd. He complained of his bones aching very much; but, in a passive state of mind, said, "I feel I should like to sing, if I could, sometimes, I feel so full."

On the 3rd he said, "I have had very little sleep in the night, but I tried to sing, 'Though painful at

present, 'twill cease before long;' and I feel this very sweet,

"When languor and disease invade

This trembling house of clay," &c.

Soon after he was taken ill with sickness and cramp. 4th. Much worse. A bad pain at the heart; a mustard plaster applied, but no relief. Said to me (his mother), "This is worse than ever." I said "Never mind, it will soon be all over, the house must fall; what a mercy to have a building in the heavens; the dear Lord has told you He has gone to prepare a place for you." He said, "He has told me so again and again." He seemed quite overcome, and wept. I said, "We want the blessed Spirit to come and testify of Jesus; then all is right." He said, "Yes." I said, "It is eleven weeks to-day since you took to your bed; I never thought you would have lasted till now." He said, "The Lord's ways are not ours. I only came out of Egypt then; I had to be put in the furnace since then." I said, "What a mercy we can lose nothing but our dross." He said, "No, nothing; what could I do without a God now to support and comfort me?"

5th. He said he felt very comfortable in mind, and rather easier. in body, though he had very little sleep in the night'; but "still the Lord came and visited me, so that made up for the loss of sleep." He said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; 'tis with the righteous well, and cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." I said, “I do, Lord, I have no one else; I have no other refuge but Thee." I said, "The Lord is very good to you, I hope He will still keep you." He said, "I desire to be kept very patient, and know no will but His." One day he said he knew he should

have some furnace work, for those words came some time since, "I will bring the third part through the fire, and try them as silver is tried.'

25th. Lay very composed in body and mind, though his sufferings were heart-rending to behold; his eyes seemed ready to start out of his head; he said, "The conflict is sharp." I said, "What a mercy the dear Lord supports your mind." He said "Yes; what could I do without Him now? I am hanging upon Him, I have no other refuge." To a friend who called in to assist, and asked, "Is Christ precious to you?" he said, "Yes; He is a sure foundation to rest upon-a firm rock." His father sat up with him that night, and said to him, "You are going fast, are you afraid to meet death?" He replied, "Oh no! what have I to fear? the sting is taken away."

On the 29th his father thought he was gone; when he recovered a little, and gave such a beautiful smile, and said, "I shall stay a day or two longer; don't be alarmed; it is all right with me.”

I

Jan. 1st. Very restless, but quite sensible to the last; but too weak to speak distinctly; he said, "I want a little of the wine of the kingdom." (his mother) said, "You want the dear Lord to shine now and fulfil His promise." He said, "Ah! I said, "You are getting very near; you are not afraid to die?" He said, "Oh, no! oh, no!" Shortly after his mother left him the last change was visible. She made an effort to see the last of him; he was convulsed, but sensible; be fixed his eyes upon her. She said they shone with indescribable brightness, as though glory beamed in them, and seemed to want to speak to her. She said to him, "Happy Ben! happy saint! soon be in glory!" He moved his mouth three times, signifying "Aye;" and sweetly fell asleep (they could scarcely believe he was gone), at two o'clock, January 1st, 1862; aged 24.

[We give the above exactly as it is sent to us. It is an account of a young man in whom we have felt much interest, as he wrote to us a most encouraging letter to strengthen our hands in the work, saying that The Little Gleaner had been the instrument of delivering him from infidelity, and had often been a means of encouraging him to seek the Lord Jesus. That his seeking was crowned with the fulfilment of the promise," Seek and ye shall find," we think no Christian reader can doubt; for ourselves, we rejoice in the assurance that he is now before the throne in glory.

We rest not our assurance of his safety upon words applied to him, but upon the persuasion that his experience agrees with the written word. The written word is the basis for a living faith. We fear the religion of many who think they have had detached portions of the word applied to them would not bear examining by the written word. While many who are writing bitter things against themselves, because they cannot get texts applied, have that religion that will bear testing by the word of God. Let my reader pretend to what texts he may coming to him with power to assure him that his state is good, if he lack godly fear, true repentance, living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spirit of holiness, all his talk of applied texts is only a delusion of the foe. And if my reader really possesses these things, if God is feared, sin is loathed, Christ is trusted, self is renounced, and holiness panted after, the infallible written oracles of God are on his side, however unable he may be to speak of texts applied to tell him he is a child of God.

"What Christ has said must be fulfilled,

On this firm rock believers build;

His word shall stand, His truth prevail,
And not one jot nor tittle fail."

EDITOR.]

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THE DAYS OF NOAH.

WHAT solemn days were they! A world living in sin! a world despising the preached word! a world drowned! a remnant saved! And were not these days of Noah a solemn representation of what is around us and before us? Indeed they were. The Lord Jesus has told us this:-"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and

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