I upon her mind. She defired to be made inftrumental of good to them while fhe lived, and that her death might be a means of bring er. Her requeft to those who prayed with her was, that they would pray that her will might be wholly refolved into the divine will: And that whether the lived or died (the latter of which fhe feemed rather to defire) the might be inftrumental of good to the caufe of religion, and of pro and the youth of her acquaintance.* In conformity to this, fhe ftudied, as fhe was able, and had opportunity, to drop fome word in their hearing, or to addrefs them in fuch a manner as might tend to folemnize their minds. As her acquaintance was extenfive, numbers called to fee and to fympathize with her; and fome from towns at a distance: And fuch was the fettled compofure and fweet ferenity of her mind under her pain and affliction, and in the near views of death; and fo pertinent, folemn, and yet cheerful her remarks, that they ly relieve me from anxiety. want them to be entirely willing to part with me at the call of God." She obferved fhe fhould be difpofed to converfe more free-ing them to confideration and rely with them, upon the subject of pentance. This fhe defired might her death, did not the attempt fo be made a special subject of praygreatly affect and overcome them. She had a very tender concern for her young brothers and fifters. When a few days before her death, upon obferving their tears, The had called them to her bed fide, and began to fpeak affectionately to them; fhe was afked whether he did not feel anxious for them, knowing from experi-moting the falvation of her friends, ence the fnares, allurements and dangers of the world. She replied with great emphafis, and a flow of tears, "That is all my concern. When I review the temptations and dangers through which I have paft, I tremble left fome of them fhould be led aftray into vicious courfes and perish. But I can leave them in the hands of God. He who has fo mercifully preferved me, can eafily preferve them; and he has infinite wifdom and goodnefs." She was peculiarly attentive to all who refided in the family, and defirous of their falvation. Wheneverprayer was made in her room, as it frequently was after her confinement, she was unwilling that any one fhould be abfent ;-fhe was unwilling that any thing fhould deprive them of an opportunity of hearing prayer. Her care in this refpect, was peculiarly obfervable towards a negro woman. would infift on her being prefent at every feafon of prayer; and often called her to fit and read the feriptures in her hearing, carefully inftructing, and tenderly counfelling and warning her upon the things of religion. The youth of her acquaintance were much She It may be gratifying to the ferious reader, and to all who delight in finding evidence for God, as a prayerhearing God, to be informed, that a statement of the prayer of the deceafed youth in this refpect, and of the triumph of her faith, which was made in an address at her funeral, was made inftrumental of striking deep conviction prefent; who has fince hopefully ex into the mind of one of the youth then perienced the power of renewing grace. From this feveral others became deep ly impreffed; and upon profeffing Chriftians in one part of the fociety, there appears to be a spirit of prayer and on individuals, in other parts, poured out, and fome promifing tokens of an increafing ferioufnefs. many ing had "peculiar freedom and fweetnefs in prayer." On the morning of the day of her death, one remarked to her that the appeared better. She replied "No were uniformly impreffed with a degree of aftonishment; and in inftances went away with a conviction of the reality and importance of experimental religion. When they called, it was to fym--I grow weaker; and the time pathize with her, as being in un-of my departure draws nigh. But happy circumftances. But they I am not pained at the thought found her not unhappy-not wish my profpects for futurity brighting to return into the world, not en. She then requefted that a withing to exchange circumftances particular hymn, which the had with the most favored, as to prof- lately found, and which gave her pects of life and health. To one much fatisfaction, might be read. the faid, "In the early part of About noon the writer vifited and my fickness, when I looked upon converfed with her. She was my young friends and faw them cheerful and patient, as ufual, unhealthy and gay, I almoft envied der diftrefs of body-advertedthem. But now I look upon with great apparent delight, to them with very different fenfa- the word of God, and the divine tions." And it was an expref- promifes--and particularly to the fion which in fubftance the often hymn juft mentioned and more repeated, "In this room, fince especially the last verse. my confinement by bodily ficknefs and pain, I have enjoyed more true happiness of mind, than in all my former life. When I look back upon former fcenes, all the enjoyment or gratification I ever received from the circumftances of health and friends, and in the purfuits and amufements of youth, bear no comparison with what I have here experienced in a fingle day. Notwithstanding my prefent bodily diftrefs, and the profpect of a speedy diffolution, yet I feel happy in the thought that I am in the hands of God, and at his abfolute difpofal in all things, though I know not how he will difpofe of me." "Since all that meet fhall work for my good, "The bitter is fweet-The med cine is food; "Tho' painful at prefent, "Twill cease before long "And then, Oh, how pleafant The Conqueror's fong!" She faid fhe ftill had peace and joy in God, and trufted that death. would be but as a meffenger to call and introduce her to a heav enly father's houfe. The convers fation was clofed with prayer, inwhich fhe was commended to God," to be ready for her departure, which was now fuppofed to be near. And particular requeft was made that he might be prepared for, and refreshed by the fabbath She was not at all times poffef- which was near, and that her foul fed of equal animation and com- might be raised to God, and com-. fort. She often complained of forted in the thought of the em coldnefs and ftupidity; but fo ployment of the church on earth far as is known to the writer, fhe and in heaven upon that day. In was not at any time, during the the afternoon fhe flept a little.. laft 3 or 4 months of her life, in while then awoke and converfed any very diftreffing darknefs or as ufual and at the fetting of the anxiety of mind. A day or two * Olney Hymns. Hymn 37. book before her death fhe fpoke of haved, I will truft and not be ofraid. fun, fhe was found, unexpectedly, of the divine original of christian to herself and friends, to be engaged in the ftruggles of death; and in a few minutes, without being able to fpeak, but in the full exercife of reafon, fhe clofed her eyes in death, and began we believe, a happy fabbath, even the reft which remaineth for the people of God. And though her body now moulders in the grave, and has become food for worms, yet being united to Chrift, it fhall be preserved, and raised by his Almighty power--the fame body -yet spiritual, glorious, and immortal. ity. This effect has been witnesfed in thoufands of ancient faints. and primitive Chriftians. It has been witneffed in every age-was it not witnessed in the subject of the preceding memoir? When the world fpread all its charmswhen it gave a prospect of the tendereft connection, and in circumftances of affluence-when it promised the attachment of friends, and opened to the view numerous fcenes of worldly enjoyment; then we behold her mind, rifing, and brightening, and attaching itfelf to higher objects; and in view of them, bidding a cheerful Shall but refine her flesh, welcome to the meffenger of death, • « "Till her triumphant spirit comes, anxious for nothing, except the "To put it on afresh." WATTS. fouls she left behind in a graceless An interefting reflection, fug- condition! O reader, how great, gefted by the preceding account, in fuch fcenes, is the triumph of is the unrivalled power, and divine the religion of Jefus ! If you have efficacy of the religion of Jefus, ever witneffed fuch a fcene, conto give fupport under affliction, fcience has borne teftimony, that and enable the mind to overcome there is fuch a thing as experimenthe world. Well might the apof- tal religion; and that the gospel tle make that bold challenge*, is divine; and under a moment"Who is he that overcometh the ary impreffion of the power of reworld, but he that believeth that Feligion-the vanity of the world, fus is the Son of God? There and the worth of the foul, you might be then-and there may be was difpofed to exclaim with Ba сс Corruption, earth and worms, at prefent, many schemes of reli-laam, O that I might die the gion, or philofophy, which may death of the righteous, and that fo form the exterior of men's char- my laft end might be like his." acter, as to effect good to fociety. But to enable them truly to "overcome the world,” is the effe&t only of the religion of the gospel. Though, perhaps, like Balaam, you may be ftill purfuing the ways of iniquity, and practically preferring the vanities of the world, to the fublime joy and peace, which the practice of reli Lord grant that all fuch, who read the preceding memoir, may To give to the mind a holy abhorrence of the nature of fin; and fuch a view of invifible reali-gion is calculated to give. The ties, as to preferve it unmoved by the flatteries or frowns of the world, and enable the foul to tri-be brought to ferious confideraumph in death, is the effect of a genuine faith in Chrift-and this effect of it is a ftanding evidence 1 John v. 5. tion, and turned from the error of their ways to the wisdom of the juft; that they may honor the religion of Jefus, and receive its confolations in life and in death. Religious Intelligence. Extra of a letter from Rev. Timothy M. Cooley, now on a mifion from the Hampshire Mionary Society, to the counties of Montgomery, Oneida, &c. in the late of New-York, to his fon in Granville, Mafs, dated at Rome, Fuly 28th, 1803. to pray-I love God-I love to pray." I inquired of him how he spent the fabbath, whether he did not play on the fabbath day? "No" faid he "I had rather pray." Many fimilar queftions he answered to the aftonishment of all who were prefent. In the afternoon he went to meeting and feated himself as near me as he could, and was very attentive during the whole service. I was informed that there were four other pious children in the fame neighborhood with this one, and I appointed to meet them the next day at nine o'clock. On Monday I rode to the folitary neighborhood where these pious chil dren lived. It was in a lonely wood diftant from any other inhabitants. "I came to the house appointed, and found them all together except one who foon came in.I queftioned them all concerning their experiences and gained a pleafing hope that they were tru ly pious. They appeared ferious and modeft, and liftened to my inftructions. About two months before this, these children were awakened by the Spirit of God and hopefully converted. "ON the third fabbath in June I preached in Champion on the Black river, and administered the facrament. In the intermiffion of public worship I was told that there was a child in the room which had hopefully experienced religion. He was nine years old. I called him to me and enquired into the ftate and exercifes of his mind, and we all were astonished at his anfwers. I asked him if he loved religion? He faid he did. I then asked him whether he always loved it? He faid no. I then enquired of him how long it was fince he loved it? But he was fo young that he could not calculate time; and his mother answered for him that it was about eight weeks fince he was firft exercifed about the concerns of his foul. I asked him if he loved God and "In the time of the remarkable Chrift? He faid yes. I then enfnow and frost laft May, the moquired of him why he loved Jefus ther of the child abovementioned Chrift? His anfwer was, "Bewas preparing to go to attend a caufe he is true." I then asked meeting. The child was urgent him if he loved good people? He to go with her; the difcouraged faid yes. If he loved wicked peo- him; but he appeared fo anxious ple? He faid yes. I afked him that the afked why he wished to why he loved the wicked? he faid go to meeting? He faid he want"Because I want to have 'emed to hear the minifter. She told good." I inquired of him wheth-him he might have a meeting at er he prayed to God? He told me he did. I then afked him why he prayed, whether it was becaufe he thought his prayers would fave kim from hell and bring him to heaven? "No" faid he "I love home, little thinking that his mind was under any special influences. From this hint, he with feveral other children met and attended to fome religious exercifes. The next evening all the children in the little neighborhood, feven or | fhould vifit this little folitary eight in number met together and neighborhood where they have appeared to be remarkably im- feldom heard a fermon. It is alpreffed. They read, prayed and fo remarkable that the work fung hymns, and appeared to have fhould begin with the children, the fpecial prefence of the Spirit. This fhews that they did not at Three of them in fome of their tend to thefe duties in imitation meetings have been ftruck down. of others, but were moved by the One of them lay above twelve fpecial operations of the Holy hours in this fituation, and all the Spirit. God is able to perfect exertions of her parents could not praife out of the mouths of babes bring her to her fenfes. She and fucklings." breathed, her pulfe beat and there was a glow in her face. She at last gradually came to herflf and began to whisper, "Glory to God! As her strength increafed, her voice became louder and the broke out into an exhortation which afton fhed all who heard her. The others lay but an hour or two in this fituation. Extras from a letter, to one of the trustees of the Hampshire Miffionary Society, from one of its miffionaries. REV. SIR, "In compliance with your requeft I fhall lay before you a brief account of my miffionary labors. The first part of my miffion, I fpent on Black river. I paffed through all the fettlements down to lake Ontario, and preached in them all, except one which was fupplied with preaching. ry 66 "I then made enquiries of the children what their feelings were, and as children will not be hypoerites, I conclude they gave me an honeft account of their exercifes. They told me they could not help falling down. That they were not in great diftrefs nor in great joy previous to this, but felt happy." That the impulfe was fudden without any warning; that they knew nothing which took place while they were in this fituation. Aad that after they revived they felt more joyful than before. I told thefe children that thefe bodily exercifes were no figns that they had felt religion; that true religion confifted in a love to God and duty. I found their meetings had been irregular; fometimes all prayed vocally together, I advifed them to pray one by one and conduct with regularlty. I exhorted them to prefs on in the fcarcely form an idea of the feelways of religion and fpend all ings of these kind people, without their ftrength for God. It is re-witneffing it with your own eyes. markable that the Spirit of God There is, in this country, a gene The field for Miffionalabors is extenfive and the demand preffing. There is a fprinkling of pious people fcattered, throughout this country, who rejoice to fee a miffionary. The prefent labors of miffionaries are great encouragements to the people of God; and they are ofter effectual in calling up the attention of the ftupid and thoughtlefs to the concerns of futurity. People very fervently exprefs their thanks for the exertions of miffionary focieties in fending the gofpel to them. They often exprefs their feelings with tears, wishing that God's prefence may attend his minifters. You can |