sometimes rejoicing in my Saviour, and triumphing over all that opposes my way; at other times cast down, feeling my unworthiness, and afraid of deceiving myself, she is passing on her way like the sun without a cloud. But our God is wise in all His dispensations towards His people, and all my exercises are needful.

"Oct. 21st.-Oh what a mercy is a throne of grace! I think I never knew the value of prayer so much as of late. Since I have parted with so many of my children, I feel I have so much more to do with God. I have so many more petitions to present for you all, that it seems to me a more constant intercourse is kept up between my soul and Jesus, and thereby enables me to discover such a fulness, such a sufficiency, such goodness, and boundless, matchless love, that at times I can but kneel and weep. My mind is led from earthly things to longing desires after conformity to His holy likeness. Oh, to be holy! How beautiful does holiness appear to be! To be holy is to be happy. May the Lord sanctify us! A little while and we shall be done with those things that but too often encumber us, and then, oh, what glory awaits the believing soul!

January 17.—The cold is intense. Last night, while interceding with the Lord to have pity upon the poor and needy, and supply their wants during this trying season, I recollected a widow woman had called on me for help a week ago, but from various causes I had done nothing in her case. I felt humbled before a heart-searching God for my neglect, and this morning I set off and found out her abode, above the Vauxhall Gardens. Her little stock of fuel was out; and finding it a worthy case, I gave her a note to the Widows' Society, and no doubt she will be supplied with a load of wood. I then called on a young woman in a consumption. She says she has no hope for eternity. I directed her to Jesus, and then left her."

CHAPTER V.

A RESIDENCE of nearly five years in a new, and, to an European constitution, somewhat trying climate, had greatly impaired her health, and rendered essential to its recovery a sea voyage and a season of entire repose. Accordingly, in 1820, accompanied by one of her sons, she recrossed the Atlantic, and spent four or five months with the elder branches of her family. Her first return to England since her sore bereavement, it were not difficult to imagine what would be the intensity of her thoughts and feelings on revisiting once more the scenes of former prosperity and happiness. Landing at Deal, she travelled all night, and arrived in London in the grey light of morning, while yet the vast metropolis was wrapped in profound stillness, presenting all the appearance of a great city of the dead. But the sombre and grave-like aspect of the town harmonized with the feelings of her lone and saddened heart. Her course from the place where she alighted brought her in view of endeared and sacred spots-the pleasant home which had been the scene of so many years of domestic happiness the hallowed sanctuary, within whose walls she had first heard the gospel of Christ, and beneath whose shadow reposed the beloved remains of the husband of her youth. Overpowered by my feelings," she writes, "I allowed but a glance at scenes so painfully dear, and was soon welcomed by the affectionate greetings of my children. Blessed be God, the God of all my comforts, for His goodness and mercy to the most unworthy of all His creatures. Assist me to bless and praise His Holy name." Soothed by social intercourse with the family of her eldest son, whose generous and affectionate consideration left nothing to desire that could contribute to her comfort, and renovated in health by travel through different parts of England and Scotland, after above four months' pleasant sojourn she recrossed the Atlantic, and arrived at New York under happier and brighter auspices than those with which she first landed a saddened stranger upon its shores.

On her return to the United States she retired to a small estate, which she rented, on the banks of the majestic Hudson. Here, favoured with an evangelical ministry, and in the enjoyment of the communion of saints, she spent four years of congenial repose, revelling amidst the rich beauties of nature, for which she possessed so exquisite a taste, and indulging in those rural pursuits in which she always took particular delight. Of the many interesting letters dated from this romantic spot, we can afford space but for one, as indicating the supreme ascendancy which spiritual concerns still maintained in her heart; and as containing 'pleasant words' for those who are sincerely and honestly inquiring for the truth as it is in Jesus.

“MY DEAREST MAMMA,

Mount Pleasant, 1823.

I

'. . . Glad was I to get dear 's letter; and though I grieve he is not rejoicing in the Lord, I am far from being discouraged. He has life. A dead sinner never feels that he is ungrateful to the best of Beings, that he is in the 'gall of bitterness,' or is afraid of being a hypocrite. The Lord himself has commenced the work in his soul, and He will carry it on; not, perhaps, in our way, but in His own wisdom, until He accomplishes the thing He has put His hand to. would rather see him diving to the bottom of truth, for the truth, than to take it up, as many do, on the ipse dixit of their fellow-men; and fancy they believe the gospel because others do whose opinions they respect, and in consequence of which they are harassed with doubts and misgivings, and their usefulness impaired, all their journey through. If our gracious. Lord designs that should be called to labour in the dear Redeemer's kingdom (a real, not a feather-bed soldier), He will bring him to plough deep for the truth, and perhaps bring him through painful exercises too. Blessed be His adored name, for the hope he causes my heart to feel on this subject. I have had to pray, 'Anything, or any way, dearest Lord, so that thou wilt convert his soul and bring him into thy blessed service.' Thomas thought it was all imagination as it respected the resurrection of Jesus, although his brethren declared they had seen Him, till compelled by a view of Christ himself to exclaim, My Lord and my God! Paul, too, hated the name of Jesus, and thought it a made up story to deceive, until Jesus met him in the way. And I have often remarked that some

of the most eminently useful ministers of the cross have been extricated, by the all-powerful arm of the Redeemer, from the very hotbed of unbelief. I do not expect that this work in his soul will be done in a few days, or weeks, or perhaps years; but that it will be done, I have little doubt, and bless the Lord for his abundant goodness to him and to me. If you

see Mr. ―, inquire how the revival at New Haven proceeds, and how Mr. Bethune's son holds out.”

The return of Mrs. Winslow to America, and her removal from the banks of the Hudson to a permanent residence in New York, formed one of the most interesting epochs in the history of her sojourn in that land. We refer to an especial and remarkable season of Divine grace with which God visited her domestic circle, imparting a quickened impulse to her own spiritual feelings, and resulting in the accession of three of her children to the ranks and service of Christ. The existence of that striking peculiarity in the history of the transatlantic churches,-Religious Revival,-is now a fact generally well known. There are few intelligent Christians of any clime, who have not heard, and, perhaps, it might be added, to whom in some degree the influence has not extended, of those especial and remarkable baptisms of the Spirit with which the Great Head of the church from time to time visits the churches in America. It comes not within the scope of the present volume to explain the theory of this wonderful phenomenon; all that we can allow ourselves to do is to bear a lowly testimony to the fact of its existence. The ecclesiastical

historian, as he traces at some future period--when their nature is better understood, and their influence better known— the origin, progress, and results of these extraordinary seasons of religious excitement, will probably date their commencement from the first settlement of the Pilgrim Fathers on those western shores. It was not, therefore, remarkable, that New England should have been the birthplace and the cradle of the first religious awakening on that vast continent. The most remarkable displays of Divine power, however, appeared in the times and under the awakening ministry of the elder Edwards-a man of colossal intellect, of seraphic piety, and of childlike simplicity. From that period, embracing the labours of Whitfield, the Tennants, Davies, Brainard, and other eminent and holy divines, to the present time, America has been the theatre of some of the most signal displays of the presence

THE MOTHERS' MEETING.--HAPPY RESULTS.

83

and power of the Holy Ghost the church of God has ever witnessed. We pause not to ask why it should be so. This would lead us into too wide a range of inquiry-but so it is. We e may, however, venture upon the remark, that the social principle in America-though this may not elucidate the origin of these sovereign manifestations of Divine grace-has been found peculiarly favourable to the promotion of religious revivals. Commencing with an individual, the sacred influence has extended to a family, from thence to an entire congregation; the impulse thus given to religious feeling has widened until a village, a town, and even a city, has been moved to its centre on the stupendous concerns of eternity.

Such have

often been the progress and the happy results of American revivals. We turn our attention now to an illustration of these interesting phenomena, more circumscribed, but not less marked.

The domestic revival to which the following extracts refer was preceded by the devotional meetings of an association of Christian mothers, representing different branches of the church of Christ, who convened weekly for the purpose of especial and united prayer for the Divine blessing upon their families. Mrs. Winslow has often described those seasons as hallowed by an extraordinary degree of the presence and anointing of the Holy Ghost. Frequently has she been seen to return from them with tearful eyes and a glowing countenance, to diffuse around her home-circle the influence of her own solemn and heavenly communings. The wrestling intercessions of this band of holy women, of praying mothers-mighty in their weakness-soon brought the blessing for which they pleaded. Over one family, especially, the mercy-cloud gathered, unveiling its heavensent treasure. Commencing with herself, the blessing extended to one and another, and yet another of her circle, until there was not a room in her dwelling that resounded not with the voice of prayer and praise. In the following extracts from her family correspondence, written from New York, and at different intervals in the progress of the revival, she thus narrates this good and wondrous work:

"In the commencement of this year, before a revival even was thought of, the Lord met with my soul, after some months of comparative darkness and desertion, during which time I felt like wrestling Israel; for my spirit was in heaviness, and I earnestly sought and felt after my absent Lord. At last He