I wrote you in my last, that our dear Mr. MM———, leaves us next month for Britain; his errand is to state the situation of this country, as greatly in want of ministers, and the means of educating ministers. Many of his people are dissatisfied, as he has two congregations to supply, and a large family of his own. Why should he be the man? For my own part, I think he is the very man; and I am thankful to feel a degree of disinterestedness. Though I love my minister, value his ministry and his person, I hope the general interest of Christ's body is more dear to me, and of infinitely more importance than my private comfort, which, after all, I do not believe can suffer by parting cheerfully with its apparent food to Christ, who himself is the sum and substance of all that any minister can be instrumental in conveying. All means are alike to him, or no means. I therefore rejoice in his will, and pray that the Lord may prosper him, give him a double portion of his Spirit, and favour in the eyes of all whose influence is necessary to advance the Redeemer's kingdom in Ame

rica.

Our friend, Mrs. K-, is gone; she died suddenly: both Mr. and Mrs. T- died at their country seat; he first-she fancied she was getting better. The physician advised her not to ride, as she could not stand the fatigue; she had more faith in air and exercise: the last day she went out, she fainted, getting into the earriage, and again coming out; and died in the afternoon. She lived near us, yet I never saw her, nor offered one kind office towards the salvation of her soul, which, if lost, leaves me not innocent of her blood, and if saved, as I hope it may be, my sinful neglect is not the less. What a picture in them of the vanity of all under the sun; and in me, of the evil of

procrastination, for I meant to visit her. O my Saviour! is this the return I make for the millions of pardons, which thou hast past on my account; sparing even the rod, and blessing me with health, restored limbs, and mercy on mercy, comfort on comfort! I want words to paint my abominable ingratitude, indolence, and cruelty; and yet, O yet, I am spared, and my mercies are spared, as far as I know-but trial Perhaps I write what my children Well, even then mercy, mercy shall be my song; for if so, I sing the song on earth, which they sing in Heaven. I am just going to town to attend preparation Sermon. Our feast is on Sabbath.

may be at hand.

may never read.

July 17, 1801.

WHAT shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies; mercies temporal, mercies spiritual, mercies eternal, multiplied mercies! The one thing that I asked of the Lord has been answered in full, and O, how much added! God himself become my salvation, and the salvation of my house; how unspeakable the blessing! Altho' chastisement and affliction were the means of correction and sanctification, or even the vengeance taken on my inventions, yet as a God, he at the same time pardoneth. For oh! my character is ever the same with backsliding Judah, and treacherous Israel. Glory to that name which is ever the same, and changeth not. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. This was his name among a stiff necked people, an idolatrous, ungrateful people; this is his name to me alike in character. O how he has

magnified this name to me, a backslider in heart and life; multiplying pardons while I have multiplied transgressions still he has been last with me, healing my backsliding; restoring my soul; leading me to the open fountain; giving faith to wash, and joy and peace in believing; not only so, but in this land of drought, this vast howling wilderness, this vale of tears, where man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards, my cup with temporal comfort is full and running over; all his creatures minister to my comfort, and as days and nights roll on, his daily providence adds, and diminishes not.

I had hardly hoped to see the faces of my children again; for he commanded and raised the stormy winds, and lifted up the waves of the sea; they mounted to Heaven, and sunk again to the deep; death, with all its natural horrors, surrounded them; the deep yawned to devour them; but God, their own God, was at hand, their anchor of hope; their ark of safety; their hiding place, 'till the calamity was past; they cried to him and he saved them out of their distresses, he made the storm a calm, and the waves thereof still, and brought them to the desired haven. This trouble was not unto death, but for the glory of God, and the exercising of your faith, for the manifestation of his power and goodness, and the enriching of your experience.

O then let us praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let us exalt him in the congregation of his people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

MY DEAR CHILDREN,

YOURS of July 3d, from Glasgow, is to me like cold water to the thirsty soul. I thank my dear J- that

tired and fatigued as she was, she sacrificed her necessary rest to the relief of her anxious mother. I hope my God did not allow her to be a sufferer; yet, my dear, two sheets were not necessary to my relief, though every line in them was interesting. To hear of the attentions of our dear countrymen, must be gratifying; to learn that your health permits you to accept of these, more so; to hear of your attention, and that of others, to my lonely sister, is soothing. But O, words are wanting to express the delight of my soul, on reading of the Lord's goodness to your soul; in dispensing to you so liberally the bread and the water of life; yea, feasting you on the dainties of his house, along with his choice favourites, giving you to see the good of his chosen, and to rejoice in their joy. O my dear J, what hath God done for us in spirituals, and in temporals! his dealings with us have not been ordinary. O how stately have been his steps in almost all his providences! I bless my God, with my whole soul, and all that is within me; I desire to bless him, that while he gave you favour with all, he attached you most closely to his own, the excellent ones of the earth; to them he led you, with them he fed you, giving you credit with them, and a name and a place in his house. O Lord, what can thy servant say? thou art thyself, I AM THAT I AM, is thy name; wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and truth, are thine essential qualities. But O thy long suffering, thy patience, thine unspeakable mercy, thy pardoning, thy restoring, thy healing, thy consoling mercy, is the wonder of wonders! and O, how is the wonder increased, when I consider the objects of it! O now, my dear children, let us live to his glory; surely mercy is his darling attribute, and judgment his strange work. Eternity will prove too short to sing of his mercy, and who ought to sing as loud as we?

October 23, 1801.

SURELY, surely, my heart feels grateful for the time, though this, like every other good motion will, like the morning dew, soon pass away.

My children not only preserved through the tempestuous storms that threatened death with circumstances shocking to nature; but my poor sick child preserved during a long fatiguing journey: that journey made comfortable, yea, delightful, by the warm reception of many kind friends, dear to nature, and many doubly endeared by Grace; among the last the mother and sisters of the kindest and best of husbands; they receiving her as their own flesh and blood, as well as their fellow member in Christ; blest with a measure of health to enjoy all, and a measure of grace to profit by all; eying by faith the dear invisible hand of a Covenant God-preserving, leading, guiding through every step-His love the marrow of the whole, and their charter for safety, even amidst the dangers of prosperity. Is not godliness gain? profitable for this life, as well as that which is to come. What is the portion of the worldling? even in this life, "shadowy joy, or solid wo," without a balance to the first, or consolation in the last; no sure footing in the one, nor support in the other; distanced from the fountain of happiness by nature, prosperity encrusts their hearts, and increases their carnality; nestling in their worldly comforts, they forget they are the creatures of a day, that an endless eternity lies before them, and only the feeble, uncertain thread of life between them and that curse under which they were born. Not so the child of God; all things work together for his good, all things; his standing is not in himself; his footsteps are directed by infinite wisdom; he is kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.