the doctors said, 'to have killed ten men.' At the moment of the dreadful discovery, these words of a beautiful hymn were brought to my mind

'In all thy troubles sharp and strong,
My soul, to Jesus fly.'

I did so.
He heard my prayer. The physicians said that you
must die. The Lord said, 'He shall not die, but live.' He
answered prayer, and gave you back to me. They afterwards
said it was a miracle. During the time of that gracious revival,
how did I pray that He would meet with your soul. He did
So. He knows, and He only, how I wrestled for your full
conversion. I wanted a clear proof of a new birth in Christ.
He answered my prayer, and gave you once more to me as
from the dead,—a living child, born again of the Spirit.
Oh, it is good to look back, and trace His dealings and His
wondrous works to the children of men! Taking thus a re-
view of these gracious things, under the teaching of the Eter-
nal Spirit, so far from being puffed up, they will lay us low in
the dust under a sense of our base ingratitude towards Him,
and the wretched returns we have made for such distinguish-
ing mercies. Oh, that He might keep you humble, and give
you such views of your own heart as will cause you to feel as
well as confess, that you are less than the least of all saints.
This is my prayer for you, and myself too. A mother's
prayers have been your swaddling-clothes from your birth.
Do you pray for me? I am sure you do."

CHAPTER VI.

IN 1828, a few months following the interesting events recorded in the preceding chapter, again prostrated in strength by the excessive heat of an almost tropical climate, and, perhaps, scarcely less so by the extreme mental excitement through which she had just passed, she found it necessary to make a second voyage to England, for the purpose of recruiting her health. In contemplating this step, she thus writes to her family:

"I am not quite certain but that, with God's blessing, you may see me in the autumn. If I come, you must be prepared to find me much altered in appearance. I suppose you will hardly know your weather-beaten mother. But I think the change of climate would soon recruit my health, with the Lord's blessing. But I am growing old, and nothing can repair the ravages of years. I do earnestly pray, if the Lord do not go with me, He will not suffer me to go hence. I long to see all my children, but I desire to wait patiently the Lord's time. My times are in His hands. Oh, that He may direct my steps!"

After a perilous passage, but marked by especial mercy, she arrived at Liverpool in safety; spent a few months with her eldest son in the country, and thence took up her residence in London. Anxious for the holy walk, and growth in the divine life, of those of her family she had left in America, she had scarcely touched the shores of England when she addressed to them the following earnest epistle. We have no heart to abridge a document so strikingly illustrative of the spirituality of her mind and the practical character of her Christianity, and so replete with useful sentiments:

"MY DEAREST CHILDREN,

July, 1828.

.... And now that I have given you an account of the goodness of God in bringing me through so many dan

gers, and in the midst of my dear family on this side of the water, let me turn to your best interests. I have left you, my beloved children, (still more beloved, because you belong to Christ,) in the place of your spiritual birth. I have left you, but God is with you. Keep close to Jesus. Forget not my old exhortation, Pray without ceasing. Go to Him for all you need; lean upon Him. There is a fulness in Christ, treasured

up for you, that the highest angel in heaven cannot fathom. Tell Him all that is in your heart. Lay your case before Him as if He did not already know it. This is the sweet simplicity of faith that Christ loves. You cannot come too often. Bring to Him your little cares as well as your great ones. If anything is a trouble to you, however small it may be, you are warranted, nay, commanded, to take it to Him, and thereby you glorify His name. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Pray much for a tender conscience, a conscience susceptible of the least sin,-as susceptible as the eye to the touch; and never rest if you feel guilt there, however small, until it is removed by a fresh application of the precious blood of Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Wherever you are, at home or by the wayside, lift up your heart to that precious Saviour who has manifested so much love to your souls. Never be afraid to come to Him. Satan will tempt you here; but beware of his suggestions. He would keep you from Christ; but Christ is as needful for you, every step you take to glory, as when you were overwhelmed with sorrow, under a sense of your awful state as a sinner before God. Never look within for comfort; you will find nothing there but what is calculated to humble you. But look to Jesus. There is everything in Him to encourage you in your warfare. And yet it is needful that you examine your own hearts from day to day, that you may be well acquainted with all your spiritual diseases, and forget not that Christ is your Physician. He has undertaken for your cure, and to fit you, by the indwelling of His Spirit, for the inheritance He has prepared for you. Oh, live upon Him out of yourselves. You need fear nothing but sin, nor even that with a slavish fear, but with a godly, filial fear. Avoid trifling, lukewarm professors. They are the bane of the church of Christ. If you can do them no good, they will do you much harm. One thing I would espe

cially remind you of; in all your difficulties and trials, (for many you will have,) go not first to an arm of flesh, nor sit and ponder what you shall do; but go directly to your dear Saviour, and ask earnestly for wisdom and grace to guide you through them; watch the leadings and openings of His gracious providence, and follow on as He leads the way, and He will make even these things to work for your good. If you feel your want of faith, ask this of Him, that you may come in faith; for this is as much His gift, as the blessing you want. Your wives are professors of the same blessed hope. But, the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and they will look to you for an example. Walk before them circumspectly; pray with them, and pray for them, and allow nothing to interrupt family worship. May God give you wisdom in all things. I thought, when you were brought to the knowledge of the truth, my care for you would be over; but I feel as anxious now that you should walk worthy of His blessed name, as I was before that your souls might be saved. Remember that your strength is perfect weakness, and yet with Christ's strength you can do all things. Again, I repeat, live upon Him. Aim to glorify Him in all things, and to possess an abiding sense of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that your thoughts, desires, and affections may soar to heavenly and eternal objects. If you lose this, you cannot walk comfortably. Cast your cares, as they arise, upon Him who careth for you. Do not covet riches: pray against this more or less easily besetting sin of many of God's people. Forget not the exhortation, Be content with such things as ye have. Keep close to Jesus; for if you walk at a distance, you have need to fear the rod: nevertheless, His loving-kindness He will not take from you. He loves while He chastens. A few more years, and we shall have done with all things here below, and eternity, with all its glorious realities, will burst upon your view. Oh, then, live for eternity. Think much of your blessed inheritance there, and let the glory of God be dearer to you than your own lives. Follow on to know more of Him. Be very thankful for what he has already done, but press on for more. Be not satisfied with a little, when He has such immense riches to bestow. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Above all, before I close, and do bear with me, for my heart is very full, and you are doubly dear to me, since you belong to Christ, my beloved children-never, never omit

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secret prayer. I take shame to myself that I have not spoken of this before. Remember, the first departures from Christ begin at the closet, or rather in the heart; and then private prayer is either hurried over, becomes a mere form, or is entirely neglected. My dear children, grieve not the Spirit; and whenever you feel a desire to pray, that moment lift up your heart to Him who is always near you. I can truly say, 'Sweet the moments, rich in blessing,

Which before the cross I spend.'

How often do I leave the family circle, when one or the other of you is pressing on my mind-passing, perhaps, through some trial, or beguiled by some temptation; I retire to my room, close the door, and fall upon my knees, plead for you with many tears, and commend you again and again to Him who has promised to carry the lambs in his arms. I wish to caution you against a great evil in many churches; I allude to gossiping professors, who, when they meet, instead of talking of Christ, talk about almost everything else,-' busy bodies,' who go from house to house, speaking things which they ought not. Oh, what a dishonour are such to the cause of the dear Redeemer! Rebuke such in gentleness of spirit, and withdraw from them. Pray that your own minds might be duly solemnized with the weight and importance of eternal things, and that your conversation might have a savour of the gospel at all times, for your own comfort, and for the edification of others. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. Pray and watch against a light and trifling spirit in yourselves, and go nowhere where it is likely to be called forth. Remember that God has to do with the heart. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit. Humility is one of the sweetest graces of God's Spirit. Earnestly seek to know as much of your own hearts as will keep you sitting at the foot of the cross; and at the same time to know as much of Christ's heart as will enable you to rejoice in the fulness and sufficiency there is in Him. May God keep you, guide and instruct you, in every good word and work, and carry you in His tender bosom, are my unceasing prayers, night and day."

It may be proper that we should now introduce the reader to the more private and sacred records of her hidden life. The journals from which we ouote were visible to no other