hymn, Come on my partners in distress,' &c. peculiarly useful to me. This morning I experienced a profitable season; the word was verified, which says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.' May I, at all times, find him to be unto me whatsoever I stand in need of: now, especially, may he be my Counsellor and Support! "March, 1802.-Through a variety of things disagreeable to nature, the Lord has been my helper. For three months, with little intermission, I have been afflicted. I have had inward and outward trials to pass through; but the Lord has been with me in the furnace, and my Deliverer out of it; to his name be everlasting praise and adoration! Ten thousand mercies I have to be thankful for, for in ten thousand instances I have seen God's goodness. He has supported my mind in heaviness, been my Physician in afflictions, and my rejoicing in health. He has blessed me with a measure of that health which pain and death defies.' The means of grace are blest to me; they are not always dry breasts. At some seasons of late, my mind has been so carried above this sublunary state of things, that while I have been looking beyond the bounds of time and space,' my soul has been ready to take wing, and soar away to glory; perfectly willing to bid adieu, for a season, to all my soul holds dear on earth. At other times I feel so united to some, as to wish to Bojourn here a little longer. But I desire and pray, that the will of God may be done, and that every wish may be stilled, that does not centre in Him. I live to-day, and am not solicitous for to-morrow. "Sept. 4.-My merciful God has brought me in peace and safety to the close of another week. Worldly engagements frequently call forth all the exertion I am capable of, both of body and mind; but, adored be my God! my mind, in general, for some time past, has been kept from repining, in any degree, at his dispensations: and I am in the hands of God,' silences the insinuations of the enemy, whose attacks are frequently directed in order to excite me to discontent. But though I find religion to be of a satisfying nature, with respect to the quality, yet relative to the quantity, the language of my heart is, Restless I ask, I pant for more. I sigh for a greater conformity to my diving Lord, who has already the chief place in my affections, in my will, in my all I want to be on full stretch for God, to be weaned for ever, and at all times, from every, even the least degree of inordinate attachment to any thing below the sun, "Sept. 30.-Owing to a leader being unwell, I have had to meet three classes within a week. A sense of my inability would have caused me to shrink from the cross, had not the Lord helped me. Previous to my going to the first, I begged the God of Heaven to prevent my going, if His presence went not with me, and if it did, to give me a token for good. He heard and gra ciously answered; two or three then spoke of being particularly blessed, and I have this evening been informed that the Lord made it a time to be remembered to several. What shall I render unto him for such benefits? Glory be to his name, he enabled me to meet those classes in a manner, far beyond my expectation, "Oct. 22.-This day, while at dinner, the Lord graciously manifested himself unto my soul. I had been in a good deal of pain of body for some hours before; and these words were applied to my mind, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.' I began to consider whether I was willing to submit to the appointment of God, if he should see fit to afflict me for twenty years more, as I have been afflicted for some years past? At first I seemed to wish to do something for God, rather than suffer; but in a moment I was enabled to submit, and say, Not as I will, but as thou wilt.' It was then that a happiness beyond expression descended into my soul: it seemed like a foretaste of glory, and the language of my soul was, 'I'll praise my Maker while I've breath," &c. I was so overpowered with a sense of the benefits conferred upon me, who am the most unworthy of all the creatures of God, that I could scarcely contain myself. I shall praise Him in eternity. "Oct. 24. We began our Sunday-school, and the Lord gra ciously exceeded our most sanguine expectations, in inclining the hearts of the parents to send their children, and the hearts of the children to come. Surely this is a token for good, an omen of better days; this part of the desert shall yet become a fruitful field a field of which it shall be recorded, the Lord hath blessed it.' "Nov. 9.-By a sudden stroke of the divine hand, one of our beloved sisters in the Church here, was taken to join the trium phant hosts above, Happy spirit! While we mourn our loss in being deprived of thy company, ere thou hadst attained the meridian of life, we congratulate thee on having escaped the prison of clay, and on having left the pains and sorrows of so shattered & tenement, for the house not made with hands. And, O, may short warning, the speedy exit, sound continually in our ears, Be ye also ready; and, like her, may we have our lamps trimmed and our lights burning. the "Nov. 18. The goodness of God so superabounds towards me, that I know not how sufficiently to praise him, or worthily to magnify his name. I have proved what Religion can do for its possessors, and in so trying a circumstance, that nothing but the grace of God could have thus supported me. I read more clearly my interest in the Redeemer, and feel more powerfully than ever before, how much the mind can be carried above the (otherwise) most painful circumstances. It is in eternity alone I can sufficiently praise him; in which blessed employ, I trust my MEMOIR OF ANN SMITH. future days on earth shall be spent; and I have a hope of a place amongst the Hosts above, when this mortal frame shall sink into the silent grave, to renew the pleasing theme which shall never, never end." This was the last she wrote in her Diary. From this time she had an obstinate cough, and her other complaints gradually increased through the Spring and Summer of the following year, and reduced her to a state of very great weakness. She took great delight in instructing the children in the Sunday-school, and continued to do so as long as she was able: and when she began to apprehend that her stay here below would be but short, she said, I think I can freely give up every thing on earth, except my dear children, (meaning those of the Sunday school.) Who will take proper care of my poor dear children?" As her weakness increased, it was attended with a considerable degree of fever, which, together with her cough and many inward pains, frequently disabled her from speaking much of the things of God; but when she was able, it was her delight. She said to her mother, "how often has the Lord blessed my soul, by means of our hymns: they have, next to the Scriptures, been made most useful to me. Ŏ, those precious hymns! I hope they will be read while the world stands." At another time, she said to her mother, "I am thinking of two things particularly which I shall have cause to praise God for, to all eternity; the first is, that I was born of religious parents, and the second, that my father received the Preachers into his house. I know that for this we have been blessed in temporals and spirituals, even as the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom for the Ark's sake." Her mother said, "And you are sheltered in the Ark Christ Jesus." She replied, "Yes-and there we shall all be gathered in; I am persuaded not one of the family will be left behind. O, what plea sure that gives me !" The Tuesday morning before her departure, being asked how she was, she replied, "I am going to glory as fast as I can." Some time after, she said, "O, it is a serious thing to die! People may trifle with, and despise religion; but its real value is known only on a death-bed." Her father coming to see her, she gave him her hand, and said, "It is nearly over; but we shall soon meet, She strove much to talk to him, but to part no more for ever." could not. He said, "Now, my dear, you feel Christ is precious." She replied, "Yes,-yes," and then lifted up her hands and eyes towards heaven, with such a delighted countenance, as if she saw the heavenly messengers coming to conduct her home. When her father had left the room, she said, "Could I ever have thought it possible to take the last leave of my father, without shedding one tear? But I am carried beyond all. What cannot Omnipotence do!" Her class-leader coming to see her, she said, J "You have laboured much to instruct me in the way to heaven; and when you are called home, I hope I shall be permitted to come and meet you, and conduct you thither. O what a blessing have class meetings been to me! had it not been for them, perhaps I should have turned out of the way." After being silent awhile, she said, "The devil has been endeavouring to make me believe I have deceived myself, and have trusted in a vain shadow; but I know I shall find it a substance: yes, and I shall soon be out of his reach. I know in whom I have believed. I feel I am saved solely through the merits of the Redeemer; I have no good deeds of my own, no, it is all through that precious Christ, who is now interceding for me in glory." After lying in a dozing state some sime, she was rouzed by a violent fit of coughing, which made her cry out, "O what dreadful pain in side! but, added she, my • What are all my sufferings here, If, Lord, thou count me meet,' &c. I had just forgot myself, and, for a moment, thought I was in heaven, upon which I was going to rejoice, when I awoke !" Some time after, being asked, if she was in much pain? _She replied, "Yes, in agonies: but, what a mercy! You see I am supported under all--kept without a murmur! What should I do now if I had not a hope cast as an anchor within the vail?" On Wednesday, during the greatest part of the day, she was favoured with glorious prospects, and spoke many precious things, which were made a blessing to all who came to see her. On taking some tea from a spoon, she said, "I shall not have the trouble of taking tea much longer: I shall soon be partaking the wine of the Kingdom-yes, very soon. Lord, grant my faith and patience may hold out to the end." Afterwards, on observing her look upwards and smile, and exert herself to speak, her mother said, "My dear, you need not pain yourself by talking, we see you are happy; you have conquered now." She lifted up her hand, and said, "Yes!-O, the glory!-If I had strength to talk what could I tell you!-Is not my situation a very enviable one, to be so near glory? Mother, do not you envy me? Awhile after, being in great pain, she said, "Will you pray, that if it be the Almighty's pleasure, he may soon release me? Do you think there is any hope of its being this night? I have given you all up, and have no earthly tic, Lord, my sufferings all to thee are known;' but, it may not be long before • I take my last triumphant flight, But mine is not Calvary's yet. For the joy he sets before thee, Thrice blessed bliss, inspiring hope!"" The whole of Thursday she was in great pain, and coughing almost continually, often praying, that her departure might be hastened, if it were the will of God. In the night, she said, she could have slept a little, but she wished to spend the little remainder of her time in contemplating the joys of Heaven. About five o'clock on Friday morning, she was seized with agonizing pains, which continued to the last. About an hour after, she said, the enemy had suggested to her, that, if as a father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pity them that fear him," why was it she suffered so much? She added, She added, "If it be thy blessed will, O God, hasten this bitter cup? Come, Lord Jesus!" Extreme pain now for some time prevented her speaking, yet she looked at those around her, repeatedly smiling, and lifting up her hands! Presently after, she broke out, as in a rapture, "He is come! He is come! Glory! Glory! Blessed Jesus !"-Her lips continued to move, but nothing more could be articulated: and, at half past eight o'clock, she was released from all her sufferings, on the 19th day of August, 1803, being her birthday, having closed her twenty-fifth year. MISCELLANEOUS. Parliamentary Discussions on Christianity in India, ON the 28th of June, the motion being made, for the House to resolve itself into a Committee on the Bill for the Government of India; Mr. Lushington rose, and, after a few prefatory observations, proceeded to consider the subject of converting the Hindus to Christianity. The interests and welfare of the natives formed, in his opinion, the most prominent object for the consideration of the British nation. When he recollected the many instances which had been presented to his observation, during his residence in India, of the humanity, intelligence, and gra titude of our native subjects, he could not, he confessed, listen to the observations which had been made in that house, or read the publications, which had recently issued from the press, respecting the moral qualities of this people, without very serious regret, and, he must add, disgust and indignation. No man of a liberal or candid mind could contemplate the calumnies that were directed against them, without astonishment and pain. The offensive works of the Rev. Dr. Buchanan, and the scurrilous papers, published at the Missionary press, at Serampore, ap |