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AN INTERESTING FACT.

Ar a small corporate town in S, where the religion of the ever-blessed Immanuel has been little known, except in its outward forms, but whose inhabitants, generation after generation, have gone on in the common course of men, living after the maxims and customs of the present evil world, and little regarding the things which make for their peace, the following incidents occurred. Several attempts had been made, but without much success, to introduce the preaching of the Wesleyan Methodists, until about six or seven years ago, when one or two Wesleyan families went to reside there: and, being grieved from day to day by hearing the name of the Lord blasphemed, seeing the sacred Sabbath violated, and, withal, the exceedingly benighted state of many hundreds of souls, they were resolved, at all hazards, to make the trial to have Wesleyan preaching established, and, if possible, a Sunday-school. For this purpose, they hired a small chapel which had been built and previously occupied by another denomination of Christians, but whose labours had proved unsuccessful, so that the place of worship had been closed for about two years. Under these circumstances, in January, 1835, the chapel was reopened by Wesleyan Ministers. A large and deeply attentive congregation regularly attended, and the hearts of not a few were cheered by the hopes of even abundant success. Notwithstanding the Holy One of Israel dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto, yet he despiseth not the day of small things. Thus did He vouchsafe to bless and encourage the honoured few who had previously met together in church fellowship, and were not only desiring, but expecting, the outpourings of heavenly grace, evinced in the conversion of immortal souls. After a while, eight or ten persons were added to those who were previously associated; and the state of the congregation was such that all who felt interested in the good work of the Lord were fully assured that the word of truth would not return void, but accomplish that whereunto it was sent.

And so it was. In January, 1841, a revival of religion

broke out, when upwards of fifty persons united themselves to the little band. These gracious influences were not confined to the chapel, but extended to many a house where persons were confined by sickness or infirmity. Some died triumphant in the faith of Jesus, among whom was the subject of the following narrative; and the case is given as strikingly displaying the wonderful and condescending mercy of our God. A. H. was born in 1799. She was so exceedingly deformed, that, although she lived to the age of forty-two, it was not proper that she should range beyond the limits of her own dwelling; so that she was altogether debarred from attending any place of worship. It is feared she had no domestic opportunities to supply the lack of the public services of religion. Many persons, even some of her nearest neighbours, supposed that she scarcely possessed natural understanding. Her speech was very imperfect, so as to be almost unintelligible; and her features were scarcely less deformed than her person. Her difficulty of articulation, indeed, was such as always to occasion a frightful distortion of them, and sometimes of the whole frame. But it is not necessary that I should undertake the painful task of describing complete deformity; and most complete it was. I will only say, that she could not swallow her food without being a painful spectacle, and that she used to retire to some corner where no one could see her, when about to take her meals.

She had a callous skin in the throat, and this at length so increased as to prevent her from swallowing. It was under these circumstances that I was requested to visit her.

Some time during the month of March, a lady sent to inform me that A. H. could not live long, and that she was anxious for prayer. I confess that at first I felt rather a shrinking from the duty. I had seen her once, about six years before, and was terrified by her appearance; but then the idea of her being desirous of the salvation of her soul presented itself to my conscience, and I felt it my duty to resist every other consideration. Trusting, therefore, in the strength of the Lord, in the afternoon of the same day I went to the cottage, accompanied by a friend who was on a

visit at our house. We found that she was ill, and in bed. On my approaching the bedside, she held out her hand to welcome me. After some inquiries respecting her health, I said, “Do you feel that you are a sinner?” She replied in the affirmative. Her mother-in-law, who was her interpreter, informed us that she had always believed that all were sinners. I thought this was, for her, a very comprehensive idea, and proceeded to ascertain, as well as I could, what she knew of the great truths of the Gospel. I found her far less ignorant than I had supposed. She knew that Jesus Christ had come into the world to save sinners. "Then," said I, "as you feel yourself a sinner, do you think He can forgive you?" "He has forgiven me!" she quickly replied. My friend and I looked on each other with astonishment, scarcely believing that we had heard her aright. We, of course, inquired more particularly into the circumstances of her case, and found that they were these.

Some short time previously to my visit, she expressed herself as being unhappy because she was a sinner, and that therefore she was not fit to die. In this distressed condition she prayed most earnestly, day and night, that the Lord would have mercy upon her and pardon her sins. On the Tuesday before I saw her, her distress seemed to be greater than ever, and she requested that some one might be sent for to pray with her. A message was sent to a pious young man in the neighbourhood; but he, doubtless being unacquainted with the urgency of the case, did not on that day call. But she continued her prayer for mercy; and in the course of the evening, she exclaimed, as in a rapture of joy, "He has pardoned my sins." She felt the burden removed under which she had groaned, and her mind was at peace. And in peace it had continued to rest till I saw her: and she surprised, though very pleasingly, myself and friend, by such a testimony to the mercy of God. We could not help exclaiming, "You indeed ought to praise God." She immediately replied, "I do praise Him." I shall never forget my feelings at that moment. My heart seemed filled with thankfulness to God, who had remembered this poor creature in her low estate. And as to her, deformity was forgotten.

I only thought of her soul, renewed by the grace of God; and that the body would, in due time, be changed, and made like to her Redeemer's glorious body.

I saw her twice subsequently, and was glad to find that she continued in the same placid state of mind, though frequently distressed with hysteric fits. On the Saturday noon, her happy spirit took its flight to be for ever with the Lord.

It was her dying request that we should sing the same hymn (on the seventy-second page of the Wesleyan Hymnbook) over her poor remains, previously to her being removed to her last home, that we had sung in the room with her. This was done on the day of her interment; prayer was offered to God, and a company of young men, who had recently found the pearl of great price, carried her remains to the house appointed for all living.

Thus was the end of her creation answered, the salvation of her soul; and the blessed testimony which she left to survivers, that our heavenly Father does indeed hear prayer, and forgive sins, through the precious blood-shedding and all-prevailing intercession of our Lord Jesus. May both the writer and reader experience for themselves the full truth of the text, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

PHILOMELA.

TRAVELLING SCENES AND ANECDOTES.

THE ISLAND OF JUAN FERNANDEZ.

ABOUT an hour before sundown, having stowed our watercasks, we commenced getting under weigh, and were not a little while about it; for we were in thirty fathoms water, and in one of the gusts which came from off shore had let go our other bow-anchor; and as the southerly wind draws round the mountains and comes off in uncertain flaws, we were continually swinging round, and had thus got a very foul hawse. We hove in upon our chain, and after stoppering and unshackling it again and again, and hoisting and hauling down sail, we at length tipped our anchor and stood out to It was bright starlight when we were clear of the bay;

sea.

and the lofty island lay behind us, in its still beauty; and I gave a parting look, and bid farewell, to the most romantic spot of earth that my eyes had ever seen. I did then, and have ever since, felt an attachment for that island, altogether peculiar. It was partly, no doubt, from its having been the first land that I had seen since leaving home; and still more from the associations which every one has connected with it in their childhood from reading Robinson Crusoe. To this I may add the height and romantic outline of its mountains, the beauty and freshness of its verdure, and the extreme fertility of its soil, and its solitary position in the midst of the wide expanse of the South Pacific, as all concurring to give it its peculiar charm.

When thoughts of this place have occurred to me at different times, I have endeavoured to recall more particulars with regard to it. It is situated in about 33° 30′ S., and is distant a little more than three hundred miles from Valparaiso, on the coast of Chili, which is in the same latitude. It is about fifteen miles in length and five in breadth. The harbour in which we anchored (called by Lord Anson, Cumberland Bay) is the only one in the island; two small bights of land on each side of the main bay (sometimes dignified by the name of bays) being little more than landing-places for boats.

There is an abundance of the best water upon the island; small streams running through every valley, and leaping down from the sides of the hills. One stream of considerable size flows through the centre of the lawn upon which the houses are built, and furnishes an easy and abundant supply to the inhabitants.

Of the wood I can only say, that it appeared to be abundant: the island in the month of November, when we were there, being in all the beauty and freshness of spring, appeared covered with trees. These were chiefly aromatic, and the largest was the myrtle. The soil is very loose and rich, and wherever it is broken up, there spring up immediately radishes, turnips, ground-apples, and other garden-fruits. Goats, we were told, were not abundant, and we saw none, though it was said we might if we had gone into the interior. We saw a few bullocks winding about in the narrow tracts

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