can see nought in the past or in the future to gratify or to enliven.

Amidst the multiplied cares of her own family she was kind and obliging to the poor, and their garments were often made or repaired by her hands. If we judged of charity by the means of beneficence which are possessed, we should attribute to bounty from such dwellings as her's no ordinary value. Her sagacity and experience qualified her for giving counsel; and many, in temporal difficulties and in spiritual distress, were guided by her advice. To folly or freakishness she showed little indulgence; but real distress always called forth her sympathy.

Any spare moments which she had she delighted to occupy in religious reading. The library of her husband contained many standard books in theology; and a number of these she perused with care. Her knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel was accurate and extensive, and she felt in them increasing delight. Religious reading was a solace to her domestic toils; and, when her daughters were able to assist her in these, and her opportunities of mental improvement were enlarged, she eagerly seized them for searching into the truths of God, and pondering them in her heart.

As often as it was in her power she attended

on the dispensation of the Lord's Supper, in the neighbouring congregations; and at some of them she enjoyed remarkable communion with God. On these seasons of holy fellowship she delighted to dwell; like Jacob, who, in the season of sickness, felt soothed and encouraged by the reflection" God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me;" and like David, who, in the season of deep dejection, called to remembrance the scenes of communion with his God, and was encouraged by them to hope in his mercy, saying, "O my God! my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and from the Hermonites, and the hill of Mezar." If the affectionate heart loves to dwell on the scenes which were brightened by the testimonies of the confidence, attachment, or sympathy of a dear friend, we must not think it strange if the pious soul visits often the favoured spot where it saw God face to face. The conversation of the men of God, who officiated on these solemnities, was always a feast to her; and such was her intelligence and such her Christian experience, that, in every religious discussion, she was qualified to bear a part; and her sentiments were always listened to with respect. It has always appeared to us, that the

meeting of ministers at the dispensation of the Lord's supper is not only useful to the people, by the diversity of gifts which are thus called forth to their edification, but to themselves. Their fellowship at the Lord's table, and their friendly intercourse afterwards, cannot fail to cherish all the kind affections; while the opportunity of hearing each other's discourses, of asking each other's advice, and of listening to each other's sentiments on various topics, must tend, in no small degree, to promote moral, religious, and intellectual improvement. Often have young ministers retired from such scenes, grateful for the spiritual advantages they have yielded them; while the more advanced in life have gone away, blessing God for the fair promise of the sons of the prophets, and for the excitement which has been given to their hope and love.

A life of such piety as a Christian, and of such exemplary virtue as a wife and a mother, was closed in a manner, in all respects, accordant with it. In 1814, her health began to decline, and, after some months of lingering illness, she died in the faith. During the whole of her sickness, her mental faculties retained all their vigour, and her faith its full assurance. The following are some of the expressions which fell from her lips; and they strikingly exhibit

the liveliness of religious feeling, and the brightness of her heavenly hope: "It is forty years since I was enabled to build on the sure foundation which God hath laid in Zion; ever since I have rested on it. I am now resting on it; and I am persuaded, that He who hath hitherto supported me will not leave me now."

Exemplary and useful as her life had been, she had the strongest impressions of her own unworthiness; and was so far from placing any reliance on aught that she had done, that she felt much shame and grief that her iniquities had been so numerous, and her attainments so scanty. Such texts of Scripture as these were most soothing to her: "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my name's sake, and that will not remember thy sins; that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified to thee, for all that thou hast done." The riches of sovereign grace manifested to sinners, and to herself in particular, filled her with wonder and joy. It is a striking fact, that those most eminent in humility are persons most distinguished for innocence and utility; and that, in the prospect of appearing before God, they speak of themselves, not' in the boasts of Pharisaic pride, or in the

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cant of affected abasement, but in the simple language of a lowly and contrite heart.

Strong as her ties to life were, she desired to depart and to be with Christ. This did not proceed from any abatement of affection to her family and friends, but from the increasing vigour of her love to Christ. Some have expressed wishes for death when their patience has been exhausted by lingering sickness-when they had felt, from long experience, the vanity of all the enjoyments of the world, and saw that it had nothing new to offer them to excite the sated appetite- or when they imagined that they were become a burden to their friends; but no such feelings influenced this sufferer. She saw much in her affliction to excite her gratitude; and the active and unwearied sympathy of her family, which showed that their life was bound up in her's, made her home sweet in sickness, as it had been in health; but her bright perceptions of the Redeemer's excellence and glory rendered her thus willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. "I always loved my relations," said she, "but I think I so love them now that I could give my heart's blood for them but my heart is Christ's." Laying her hand on her breast, she said, "I have the Spirit of glory here, and I am going to Heaven, where all is

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