The dark night. The Christian lovely in death.

Trust in Jesus.

lake, that his mother was taken very ill, and, from the violence of her disease, her recovery was despaired of. She expressed great anxiety to see him before she died. Boats were leaving here almost every day, and the family took great pains to send tidings of this to James.

"It was a very dark rainy night, when intelligence came to my house that Mrs. Northend would not probably survive till morning. I immediately hastened there, and found but few individuals present except their own family. Mrs. Northend was evidently rapidly failing, but still able to converse. I do not know that I ever saw one appear more lovely in death, or able to look into the eternal world, on the brink of which she then lay, with more calmness or composure.

"I remarked to her, that I hoped that she felt resigned to the will of God, and ready to obey his summons.

"O yes,' she replied,' God has been very merciful to me; his Holy Spirit has brought most of my rebellious thoughts into submission to his will. And I can truly say that I find unspeakable peace and comfort in resigning myself and all my concerns into his hands. When I look back on my past life, and see how devious has been my path, and how deviating my steps, the creature of a thousand changed and changing purposes; at one time firmly resolved to devote all my powers and faculties to the service of God, and perhaps before an hour had passed, all my good resolutions swept away, and myself brought into subjection to the law of sin, which is in my members-0, when I think of these things, I should sink into utter despair did I not remember that I was to be saved by free and unmerited grace. Yes, Jesus,

"Thou must save, and thou alone;

In my hand no price I bring,

Simply to thy cross I cling.

"O, how infinite is that love, how indescribable that goodness which has promised to lift me from the depths

A mother's bitterness in death.

The solemn interview.

of sin, and exalt me to a seat at God's right hand. When I look forward to the things which are not seen; the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, I long to depart and be with Christ. But then the thought of those I am leaving; yes, there is one bitter, bitter thought-my James-my prodigal son-O, that I could see him, and leave him my dying entreaty to turn from the ways of death.'

"The rain was pattering fast upon the roof, and the night exceedingly dark; all within the house was quiet and composed. During these remarks of Mrs. Northend, James arrived, and had entered the room with a noiseless tread. The curtains that hung around her bed had prevented her noticing his presence. As she made these last remarks, he went forward just as he had left the boat, clad in his sailor dress, dripping with rain, and kneeled at her bedside; with one hand he covered his own face, and with the other clasped the dying hand of his mother.

66

"O my James, my James,' she exclaimed, 'I am going to die-and must we be parted for ever? Have I borne and nursed you-have I carried you in my arms, and cherished you in my bosom so many days and nights, that you might become a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction. O! my son, this is the last appeal that I shall ever make to you. Do turn to God. If you have no pity on your own soul, do have pity upon the tears and agony of your dying mother. O my God, I ask for this child but one thing— the salvation of his soul.'

"Never did I witness so truly an affecting scene as this. The mother soon died. The son, for a little while more steady, soon returned to his former courses.

"Mr. Northend submitted to the loss of her who had been so long his companion and dearest earthly friend with great Christian resignation, looking forward with confident expectation to their happy future meeting in the kingdom of glory.

"About this time a relative of his of whom he had little

Fraudulent transaction.

personal knowledge, came into the neighbourhood. He was a man of great plausibility, but at the bottom very corrupt and unprincipled. He had been engaged for many years in various speculations, and had considerable property in his hands. Very soon after his location in this place, he came to Mr. Northend, in great apparent distress and agitation of mind, and told him, that an unforeseen casualty had placed him in such circumstances that it became necessary for him to ask some one to lend him his name as an indorser to the amount of a few thousand dollars; that not the slightest risk would be run in doing so, as he had abundant means to meet all his pecuniary responsibilities. Mr. Northend inconsiderately yielded to his request. This relative had now attained his object. He had thrown the burden of several thousand dollars of debt upon the shoulders of another. He knew that Mr. Northend now stood between him and the demands of the law, and he therefore never made a single effort to pay one of those debts. It was a cool deliberate calculation on his part to defraud Mr. N- of just that amount of money. Mr. Northend,

when it was too late, discovered this fact, and then was made to understand very distinctly what the wise man meant when he said, He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; and he that hateth suretiship is sure.' Mr. Northend was obliged to pay the whole amount for which he had become responsible, and in doing so, his property was reduced to less than one half of what it was before. He did not, however, allow himself to be in the slightest degree ruffled or discomposed by this disastrous occurrence; but used cheerfully to remark, when allusion was made to it, Thank God, through his mercy I have an inheritance which the fraudulent cannot wrest from me. God is taking care of that. It is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away.'

"Another and more severe trial was now at hand.

"A few years had elapsed since the death of Mrs. Northend. James continued to follow the lake, and had become

The gale.

The shipwreck.

The awful catastrophe.

the master, and, in part, the owner of a small schooner. The navigation of this lake is somewhat dangerous on account of sudden squalls. On one occasion, about the time that the arrival of James Northend was expected, with his schooner, there blew up one of the severest gales I ever witnessed. In a short time there came news that a schooner was wrecked, and in a sinking condition, within sight of the shore. In a few minutes the shore was lined with spectators, and it was soon decided that it was James Northend's boat. A number of persons could be distinctly seen clinging to the yet floating wreck. The first thing that arrested my attention when I came to the shore was Mr. Northend, walking backward and forward in the deepest agony. In his haste he had left his house without his hat, and his long white air was floating in the wind, which gave to him a wild and distracted appearance. An attempt had just been made to send out a small boat to the relief of the perishing crew; but there was not a boat to be had that could have lived five minutes in that gale.

"Mr. Northend was imploring them to make another effort.

"O save my child,' he said, 'I will give all that I possess if any one will make the effort.'

"To have made the attempt would have been certain destruction. Of this Mr. Northend soon became sensible, and desisted from his importunity. The storm accelerated the approach of night, and in fifteen minutes after I reached the shore, darkness settled down upon the sinking wreck, and blotted it, together with its perishing crew, for ever from our sight. Mr. Northend still stood gazing in the direction of the wreck, trying to pierce with his dim eye through the darkness, to catch another glimpse of his profligate, but still beloved child. I went up to him, and taking him by the arm, begged him to return to his house, and remember where his trust should be placed.

"O yes,' said he, turning away from the wild commotion of agitated waters that was roaring around us, 'O yes,

my heart is indeed overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Had James been penitent-could I have had any evidence that his peace was made with God! The thought of his going to an endless perdition-how agonizing! O God, help me to bow in humble submission to this dispensation, and say, Thy will be done.'

"As was to be expected, when the morning came, no part of the wreck was visible.

"From this time Henry Northend became much abstracted from the world. His conversation was in heaven.' The subject of religion seemed the only one that could interest him. This interested him deeply and powerfully. However weary or worn out with fatigue, the mention of the blessed Saviour's name would at all times arouse him up to immediate warmth and animation. He has lived the life, and died the death of the righteous. Peace be to his memory."

When this interesting narrative was finished, we went to Mr. Heyden's house.

After I had retired to my bedroom, the following reflection arose in my mind : How wonderful are the ways of God! How true it is that they who seek him shall find mercy, and they who refuse to obey him shall eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices. Here is one instance in which God has blessed, in a signal and visible way, the sacrament of infant baptism to the salvation of souls, and to the magnifying of his own glory. How strongly should this urge all parents to the discharge of this most plainly inculcated duty.'