haps are in danger of erring in the same particular instance. Few, in the enjoyment of youth and health, lovely and beloved, like her, with an eye stedfastly fixed on the invisible glory, sigh without ceasing "Lord, how long?" Yet, who needs not to be reminded, that it is equally the christian's interest and duty to submit every preference to the decision of infinite wisdom, and to say continually, in the confidence of faith, and hope, and love-" The will of the Lord be done." "O Lord, my God! do thou thy holy will- I will not stir, lest I forsake thine arm, And break the charm, Which lulls me, clinging to my Father's breast, But the shadow of death is for her now turned into the morning: the Lord is become her everlasting light; he has wiped all tears from her eyes, and sorrow and sighing have fled away for ever. On the succeeding Tuesday, her earthly remains were borne to their long home, by the pupils of my father. The six missionary students, who were then under his direction, requested to pay this mark of affectionate sympathy to their tutor, and respect to the memory of this devoted young disciple. So that it might, with truth, be said of her, that "devout men carried her to her burial; and great lamentation was made for her." Never but once-on a more recent and still more melancholy occasion, when the chief mourner here, was himself, amid the tears of his family and congregation, hidden out of their sight-have I known a deeper feeling excited in the neighbourhood; or Olney church more numerously attended, than at her interment, and to hear the funeral sermon, preached on the following Sunday, by our late esteemed friend, Mr. Richmond. He took for his subject, words beautifully characteristic of her short pilgrimage." And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation."Psalm cvii. 7. Nor do I recollect ever seeing my dear father so much affected as at this period. Yet meek resignation and deep humility, were mingled with profound sorrow. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; and blessed be the name of the Lord," was the evident and unvarying language of his heart as well as of his lips. Amid the sad realities of such scenes, the past appears more attractive than the future; and we would willingly linger around the graves of our departed friends, fondly cherishing their remembrance, and indulging our sorrow, rather than step out into the pathway of the working-day world, and fulfil duties, become dull and distasteful to our wounded spirit. We may not indeed enter the closely sealed sepulchre; but how difficult to leave it! Yet "Onward" is the christian's motto; and he is required still to press forward to the high prize of his heavenly calling. And my father did not allow grief to interrupt the performance of duty. He went "forth weeping, but bearing precious seed;" and he fulfilled the ministry he had received of the grace of God, with additional earnestness and zeal; as though he had caught a glimpse of the surpassing glory of that world into which his child had now entered. The beautiful sentiment was strikingly exemplified"When the grace of an afflicted saint is in exercise, his heart is like a garden of roses, or a well of rose water, which, the more they are moved and agitated, the sweeter is the fragrance they exhale.” It may be added, that the sympathy evinced by his attached people, was very gratifying and soothing to their pastor, and deserves to be recorded as a pleasing testimony of mutual esteem and love. There are seasons in the experience of many of the servants of God, when one trial follows another, as the clouds return after the rain; and such was the present to my beloved father. In the autumn of this year, he writes to his eldest daughter-" H. leaves us for Ireland on Monday. His going so far is a great trial to me; but I hope it is the path of duty for him, and I pray God to sanctify it to his best interests. Our separations are to me very painful; but I hope we shall meet where they will be known no more. I beg, my beloved daughter, you will not forget to pray for me, as you may be assured I need the intercession of all my friends. O that I may have the intercession of that Friend, who sticketh closer than a brother!" The removal from Olney of his eldest son, was followed shortly after by that of the missionary students. These circumstances united to depress my father's spirits; and he could not look forward to the diminution of income the loss of pupils would occasion, without disquieting apprehensions. The subjoined extract from a letter to the same daughter, portrays his state of feeling: 66 MY BELOVED DAughter, 66 Olney, Oct. 11, 1824. "Your letter to C. and myself, of September 25, arrived in due time, and I need not say, afforded us pleasure and satisfaction; but as there is no particular subject that requires a reply, I will immediately proceed to notice our present circumstances at the Vicarage, where further changes in our life of vicissitude are about to take place. The missionary students are to leave us (except any alteration of plan should intervene) this week or next, as the seminary at Islington is nearly ready to receive them. Messrs. * * * leave me at Christmas. These circumstances, you see, will make another considerable revolution in our family. You are aware, my dear * *, that my stated income will by no means meet the expenses of my family. I am, therefore, in a strait to know how to act, or what plan to pursue; and can only hope that he who has hitherto supported us, will continue to provide. O that I had faith confidently to say under present circumstances, Jehovah Jireh. But I feel that I am a vile sinner, unworthy of the least of the mercies and the truth which our gracious God has hitherto shewn me; and were it not, that I know where sin has abounded, grace has much more abounded, I should now be ready to sink into despondency. I will not however distrust, and therefore why should I distress you with fears and apprehensions on the subject. Hitherto the Lord has helped me, why then should I doubt his care for the future? He has, I am sure, interposed for us by his peculiar and especial providence in times past; let us therefore hope that he will manifest similar goodness and mercy for the time to come. I am deeply conscious that I have been very unfaithful; but I know that he can make his grace to abound over all my sins and backslidings. * * * * * "Your affectionate father." Depressed in spirits and in circumstances, my father was for some time ready to despond; and the removal for a season, in the commencement of 1825, of three others of his family, contributed to his dejection. My mother's state of health was such as to disable her from taking an active part in the management of her family; and he was himself suffering from the disorder by which he had occasionally been affected for several years. It was conjectured that the seizures which have been already mentioned, originated in the sedentary habits induced by the nature of his pursuits; and from anxiety of mind. From the supposition that they were attended with plethora, the abstraction of blood, either general or local was resorted to, as the severity of the symptoms might appear to require. That which he found most annoying, was the frequent sensation for a longer or shorter period, of a pulsation in the head and neck. To his eldest son he writes in February-"I am sorry to communicate any thing that may give you pain; but a cloud hangs over me at present, which nothing but the goodness of God can dissipate. I hope, however, that in due time it will be scattered, and vanish, and that God will graciously bring light out of darkness. My health is very indifferent, and my spirits at times low. Many of the people tell me I look ill, and some of them use the term ghastly; but as this term is, in the sense here used, an Olneyism, you must not put the worst construction on it. But after losing forty ounces of blood in the course of a week, and having had a painful seton put in the nape of my |