And is this our situation? And can we knowing it to be so, still be slothful? Presently will thine hand, palsied by death, be incapable of bestowing almsthine eye closed in darkness, of pitying misery-and will thy bosom soon, unfeeling as the clods that cover it, cease to palpitate at the tale of woe; and canst thou now shut up the bowels of thy mercy, or contribute with parsimonious exactness only, to the relief of those suffering objects which surround thee? Hark! From the heavens a voice cryeth, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, because there is no work nor device in the grave whither thou goest." It is the voice of Jesus, who adds, hearer, for thine encouragement, Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me. Blessed is that servant whom, when his Lord cometh, he shall find so doing. Go then, ye collectors of the bounty of the evening, and receive our charities. Go and let us see who will give unto the poor-Pardon my mistake. I mean who will lend unto the Lord, and in what abundance they will lend. And I pledge myself—Again, what am I saying? GoD pledges himself, however much you may bestow, in faith, that he will repay you again good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, even everlasting consolation will he repay into your bosoms. Almighty GoD! give us grace on this occasion to act worthy of the children of such a parent, and to thy name shall be the glory in CHRIST. AMEN. APPENDIX, BY A FRIEND. MRS. SALLY NOTT, the amiable consort of the Reverend ELIPHALET NOTT, and daughter of the Reverend JOEL BENEDICT, of Plainfield in Connecticut, was born at Lisbon, in said state, on the 29th of August, 1774; and died, after a lingering and doubtful illness, at Ballstown Springs, on the 9th, and was intered at Albany on the 10th of March, 1804, aged twenty-nine years and six months. Mrs. Norr was rather small of stature-her complexion was fair, her countenance expressive, and enlivened by an eye uncommonly brilliant, penetrating, and significant. Her genius was sprightly---her mind enriched by reading, and her taste refined by a happy education. In her conversation she was unassuming---in her manners, artless and unaffected. In youth she was vivacious, and possessed a talent for satire; but a talent completely concealed beneath the veil of discretion, in maturer years. 1 |