asked her what she would like her to read. She replied, "The Bible.”

Her mother feeling low in her mind, and fearing lest what she had said might be presumption, she begged of the Lord to reveal Himself to her, after which she said, with a smile, "He has done that." At another time she asked her mother to cut off her hair, saying, "I have done with the world," and told her mother not to weep.

A few days before her death her pain and weakness seemed to increase daily, but she tried to bear all patiently, and seemed daily to pray to be gone. At one time she said, "I long to tell everybody what a dear Saviour I have found," and repeated,

"Then would I tell to sinners round
What a dear Saviour I have found ;
And point to His redeeming blood,
And say, 'Behold the way to God!""

A dear friend, to whom she was much attached, had called to see her at an earlier stage of her illness, and had asked her what were her hopes for eternity, when she made no reply. She called again a few days before her death, and then she said to her, "I could not answer you what you asked me when you came before to see me, but I can answer you now, for I do feel so happy."

Her uncle, to whom she was much attached, came to see her a few days before her death, and she said to him, "Dear uncle, I do like you so, but I am going to be with father; but that is not the reason I want to go, I want to go and see Jesus."

To her cousin, at another time, she said, "I hope I shall meet you in heaven ;" and to another person, "I do not feel I can love Jesus enough." And again, at another time, she said to a young companion, "Susan, I shall soon leave you, for I am

going to be with Jesus." She asked several times to be prayed for, that she might have patience. On asking her how she felt, at one time, she replied, "Very happy. Do not pray that I may live, but pray that I may be patient." A little time after she had a very severe attack of sickness, which, with her weak frame, seemed as if it would have removed her from earth. After it was over, I again asked her how she felt, when she replied, "Not quite so comfortable; but I know I'm safe," and renewed her former request.

At another time, while apparently meditating, she said, "Bold shall I stand at that great day." I remarked, "Yes, you will stand boldly if, as a guilty sinner, you are trusting in Christ for salvation." She replied, "I have nowhere else to trust."

Seeing her only sister weeping by her bedside, she said to her, "Do not cry. I hope you will be brought."

A few days before she died, her aunt came from the country to see her, and as she entered the room she exclaimed, "Oh, so happy, aunt!" and repeated these lines

"Soon shall I pass the gloomy vale,
Soon all my mortal powers must fail,
Oh, may my last expiring breath

His loving-kindness sing in death!"

Her aunt said to her, "Do you think you will be able to sing His loving-kindness in death?" She answered, "If I cannot sing it, I shall feel it." Her weakness increased very greatly at this time, so that she scarcely had strength to speak; but her mind seemed very composed and comfortable. She seemed to have a sweet assurance that she would be soon landed on fair Canaan's coast. A few moments before she breathed her last, she

66

seemed to remember what her aunt had said about singing in death, and tried to say, Sing, sing," a placid smile sitting on her countenance, and, a few moments after, her spirit took its flight to the mansion of eternal bliss.

She could not sing, but, thanks to grace,
The blissful shinings of God's face
Were felt as she the valley trod
Betwixt the wilderness and God.

She could not sing, but, as she cried,
She felt His kindness when she died;
Her soul rejoiced in Jesu's word,
Although no outward song was heard.

She could not sing, for mighty Death
Was stopping now her mortal breath;
But melody within was made,

That turn'd to day the gloomy shade.

She could not sing on this cold shore,
But now she sings for evermore;
Oh how, when once her spirit trod
The heavenly shore, she praised her God!

She now can sing, with saints above,
The praises of electing love,

And, as she swims in seas of peace,
Can shout aloud redeeming grace.

She now can sing, with yon bright host,
The praises of the Holy Ghost,
Who taught her she was lost and poor,
And led her steps to Jesu's door.

She now can sing-may those who read,
Before they're number'd with the dead,
Be taught of God to feel their need,
And Jesu's full atonement plead ;

That they may sing, as saved by grace,
The blessed song of Calvary's peace-
Sing while below, in gracious strains,
Then sing above on heavenly plains !

ED.

EDITOR'S ADDRESS TO HIS YOUNG
FRIENDS.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-You have now in your hands the last number of your Magazine for 1871, thus completing our eighteenth volume. Where are all our dear young friends whose hands held our first numbers issued so many years since? How many of them are gone into an eternal world! Their state is for ever fixed. What a comfort to have had so many proofs of God's love and goodness in the evidences that many who are gone have left behind them that they are gone to be "for ever with the Lord!" The persuasion that many who are now mouldering in the dust have been truly profited by means of the LITTLE GLEANER is, indeed, calculated to encourage us in our arduous task of gathering together from month to month a bundle which, while interesting, shall be filled with those precious truths that the Lord will deign to make a blessing to the souls of the young. Oh, dear young reader, how can you tell that you shall not be amongst those opening flowers that are cut down in the early spring-time of life? May you | be made wise to consider your latter end, and to seek a true preparation for death! The prepared for death are the prepared for life. The lovers of God, called according to His purpose, are assured from the Word that 66 All things work together for their good." We trust that many who have grown

up readers of the LITTLE GLEANER, and are now engaged in the various busy occupations of life, and are putting into the hands of their second selves their old friend the GLEANER, have cause to be thankful for the blessing the Lord has given to its pages. Oh, may you, dear reader, if God should spare your life, live to look back with gratitude to the blessing of God to your souls, resting upon the pages of the LITTLE GLEANER and the SOWER.

Mention of the SOWER opens the way for me to beg of all our dear young friends, who have not done so, to commence to take in the SOWER with the opening year. The two, bound together at the end of each year, make a thick handsome volume, containing matter for profitable reading in after years.

I may also again inform any young friend who shall obtain new subscribers for either the SoWER or the GLEANER, that, upon receipt by Miss Kent, Shefford, Beds., of the subscriptions for the year, a reward-book, varying in value according to the number gained, would be sent by post, and the Magazines would be sent throughout the year monthly, post free, to the address given one per month for Is. 6d., two for 2s., seven for 6s., fourteen for 125., &c. By the help of all our dear friends the circulation of both Magazines might be greatly increased, and a much larger space scattered over with precious seed. We would gladly send any friend seven copies for canvassing purposes, post free for two postage stamps.

The year passing away has been one of singular mercy. We mentioned, at the commencement of the year, our desire to be the means of the erection of free homes for aged followers of the Lord Jesus, and sought to commit our projected work to the