from every lip. Though we, my amiable friend, may ere that time close our eyes on mortal things, yet if our spirits salute the glories which grow on mount Zion, we shall behold from thence the victories of Emanuel on this perishable ground; and O what gladness, what transport, what rapture, will fire our bosoms at the glorious view! May the bliss of Paradise be ours to enjoy, when these changing scenes end with us in an unchanging eternity. I often think of our first and last interview with pensive pleasure, and hope you will favour me with another, if you find it consistent. But as life and all things here are uncertain, I direct my eyes to a region, where the saints of the Most High shall all soon collect to part no more forever, and where pious friends shall be more intimately and endearingly allied, than it is possible to be in this unfriendly clime. My dear, dear sister, may we see each other there, and enjoy a friendship ineffably sublime, which no death or separation shall ever wound—a friendship, pure as those realms of light, and immortal as our souls. When you have an hour of leisure you will give joy to my heart by writing a long letter, though I am most unworthy. Tender, most respectful and affectionate love to dear Mr B. accompanied with an ardent wish, that the Lord would shed upon him abundantly the influences of his sanctifying, illumining, and comforting Spirit, and make him an eminent instrument of good to immortal beings. May you, my dear Mrs B. enjoy richly that peace which passes understanding, pass your fleeting days in tranquillity and usefulness; and, when the scene of mortal life closes, enter into that rest which remains for the people of God. Accept with candour this small expression of my esteem; and when you commune with Heaven, raise one affectionate petition for your unworthy, &c. JOURNAL 1814. Oct. 2. Have this day been permitted to encircle the table of my divine Redeemer, and again renew my en gagements to be his. But ah! what coldness, what indifference, what amazing sottishness usurp their sway over my heart, and paralyze every rising emotion of piety. What infinite reason have I to abase myself below all mankind, and freely confess I am of sinners the very chief. OI need true humility, a deep and abiding view of my own depravity, while faith's enlightened eye fastens on the bleeding Lamb of God, and points to a region where perfection flourishes in immortal charms. Beaute. ous indeed must be that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, filled with holy inhabitants, and abounding with every blessing its Maker can devise. May I be so favoured as to find some humble mansion there, when this earthly tenement shall be dissolved by the chilling blast of death. O my Redeemer, be thou my Sun to illumine my path through this benighted world, and to gild the lonely vale of death with some heavenly ray. Let thy precious blood be efficaciously applied to my polluted soul, that it may be a temple fit for thee. Come, my Saviour, remove this interposing veil, and disclose to me those boundless charms of thine, which inflame the bosom of the most exalted seraph with extacy, and tune his heart to celebrate thy praise. These were probably the last words she ever wrote. About the middle of October she was seized with an inflammation in the brain, of which she never recovered. ESSAY ON CHRISTIAN USEFULNESS. "But to do good and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices THE age in which we live has many peculiarities. It is distinguished by the great efforts that are made to promote opposite interests. To do good, on the one hand, and evil on the other, much zeal has been excited, and many exertions have been, and are, put forth. It cannot be immaterial, where we take our stand, and what part The consequences to be produced will be proportionate, no doubt, to what is done to produce them. At a time when energy and decision are so much called for, such words as those of St Paul in Gal. vi. 9, 10. are worthy of very particular and serious attention: we act. And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore #opportunity, let us do good unto all men. I will offer a few remarks upon this interesting subject. It is easy to find good precepts and rules for mankind, and to extort from them a confession of the propriety and beauty of these rules; but to persuade them into a conduct which is according to what they know, and are obliged to acknowledge, to be their duty, is not so practiWhat is proposed to them in general terms, expressive of their obligations, they will find little cable a matter. difficulty in admitting; but when particulars come to be considered, and a course of practice to be entered upon, endless evasions, excuses, and apologies, will be resorted to, rather than a disinterested, firm, and manly engage ment to undertake whatever benevolence and piety may require. And indeed it is no uncommon thing for per sons to stand by and applaud the public enterprising spi rit and laudable efforts of others, when devising schemes, submitting to privations, encountering discouragements, and putting their hands to arduous attempts in the ser vice of God and of their fellow-men, while their own lukewarmness or apathy is such as to prevent their making a single effort to strengthen the hands of the good and faithful. Many appear to esteem it enough for them to discern with shrewd and penetrating eye what is needed, and what would, if accomplished, be an unspeakable advantage, without feeling themselves constrained to embark in an undertaking, which, though most important in its object, may be attended with perplexity and embarrassment, and prove abortive at last. When the evils which call for a remedy are reflected upon, or exhibited under some of their odious and aggravated forms, these persons can utter as loud a groan, breathe out as heavy a sigh, and pour forth as many tears, as any other person; but to proceed any further, they want the necessary stimulus. They are sorry, exceedingly sorry, to find things in so ill a condition;-to have occasion to bewail so many evils prevailing in the earth;-to see mankind suffering the bitter consequences of a thousand inveterate maladies :-They wish it were otherwise :-And if there are any who can invent and apply an effectual remedy, they heartily wish they may undertake and succeed. For themselves, though they are friends to the cause, and would exceedingly rejoice in its prosperity, their situation is so peculiar, so unfavourable to any very spirited exer tions, that they must leave this business to those who can see more promising symptoms of success, are more at leisure to undertake, are more competent to do some thing to effect, or, in fine, have abilities and influence to mark them out as proper persons to be employed in doing good. All allow, that an evil world calls for a great deal of active benevolence to keep its affairs in any thing like a tolerable state. None are so blind and stupid as not to be sensible, that, though God has the supreme prerogative of moral government, to fix and maintain the proportion of good and evil which is on the whole best for the system, human agency is altogether requisite to bring things to their ultimate issue. We have often witnessed how good men have made things better, and bad men have made them worse. In how few instances shall we find, that changes for the better have been accomplished, in the circumstances of individuals and communities, without the seasonable and wholesome interference of human hands? On the contrary, it is a baleful influence, to be traced to evil men and seducers, that has wrought the mischiefs which have put so dismal and melancholy a complexion on the affairs of mortal men. Hence it is manifest with what propriety the apostle exorts, And let us not be weary in well doing. Although these words seem not so applicable to those who have never acquired a habit of doing good, have never ventured at all into this laudable path, yet it is hoped, that they may have some good effect even upon them, and may produce in them a spirit of godly emulation to vie with all good men in deeds of love, in earnest endeavours to promote true virtue and solid happiness in the world. We need not go into any discussion to show, that as moral beings and as members of society, we ought to do good upon every opportunity; and that this is a business which should never become irksome, nor lie upon the mind as a burden |