been the greateft. Surely he is a God who heareth the prayers of the deftitute. I shall close by giving a brief account of one who left the world, in the height of the attention among us. She died May the 15th, 1799: in the 16th year of her age. She was a promifing youth, of bright natural abilities, and of a refpectable religious family. Her mind began to be impreffed, the latter part of the year before she died. As he had been taught the ways of the Lord in the family, from her childhood, fhe ap peared, early in her awakening, to have a good doctrinal knowl edge of the way of falvation. But the complained of a hard heart, and a flubborn will. She was at all meetings and conferences which she could conveniently attend: but found no relief. In the latter part of February, she began to be unwell, and was foon confined. Her difeafe quickly became very threatening; and within a few months he was given over by her Phyfician. But though her bodily disease was diftreffing, yet it was in a great measure overbalanced by her spiritual troubles. Her complaint was chiefly of her felfifh heart, which he felt to be at enmity against God; and the profpect of going out of the world, with arms in her hands against the most high, was horrible beyond all conception. She would often, in great anguish, cry out, I must die, and I cannot die fo! Such a fcene efpccially in a day of awake ded to go at all events. I have heard him fay, the first thing that ftruck his mind as he entered the houfe, was the decorum and order of the meeting. His convictions continued, and increased for a number of weeks, until he was brought, as he confeffeth, to fee his defperate fituation, while oppofed to God, and the way of falvation by a kind Saviour; and to fee that Chrift was the way, the truth, and the life, and cordially (as he hopes) to accept of him. Thus I have given fome account of the work of God among us, and mentioned fome particular inftances in which the nature of the work appears. As to the extent of it, there were but a few in the parish who were not in a meaf ure folemnized. Almost the whole converfation when people were together, in intermiffions on the fabbath, and on weck days was on religion. Even the companies on training days were folemn. Balls were fuppreffed, and religion was the theme at weddings, and at all times. The number hopefully born into the kingdom of God is between 60 and 70. The number who have made a public profeffion is 59; and it is expected that others will come forward, and fubfcribe with their hands to the Lord. I would here notice that tho' many have been taken, to human view the farthest from the kingdom of God, yet I think that God, in the midít of his fove. reign, holy ways, muft appear, even in this work, to every attentive foul, a prayer-hearing God. Inning, was very affecting and it exthe middle of the place there was all the paft days of inattention, a praying conference kept up once a week (extraordinaries excepted) by a few ferious people. And it was here, in this conference, that the work began, and here it has cited the pity, and prayers of many. A number of young people, who had been under concern, and had obtained relief, went one eveBing to fee her, about a fortnight. before fhe died; and conversed and prayed with her. As they were going away late at night the But though death had evidently begged their prayers. And her feized on her mortal body, immor request, and fituation was fo af tal glory feemed to bloom in her fecting to them, that they (as I foul; and the knew, and most am told) after leaving her, retired, kindly received all who came to and spent an hour of the filent mid- fee her, and spoke discreetly, and night in carrying the cafe of their fuitably to them. She looked on diftreffed friend to God. And one of her mates, and faid, "Now we have reafon to hope that on this you fee my heart ftrings break." very night, fhe received, from the On one's afking her, "if the might afcended Saviour, the gift of a not be deceived?" it engaged her new heart. There appeared a ferious attention, when the replied, great alteration in her mind from "Why I know Jefus will take me: this time tho' fhe had many if he does not he will do me no doubts and fears until the morning injuftice." As the drew nigh her before her death, when every exit, fhe rattled in her throat : becloud feemed to be difpelled. And ing afked if the wished for drink? I can fay I never faw fo much tri- her reply was, "No, it is nothing umph, and victory in the arms of but the pangs of death." On feedeath before. She expired not ing her Itruggles one of the fpecfar from 12 on Saturday. Her tators faid; "Is it hard to die ??? joys had not the appearance of a She anfwered, "It is hard you vain confidence, but of a real fub- may depend." She calmly lookmiffion to God, in a view of his ed on her dying fingers; fpoke of glory in the face of Jefus. I nev- her grave, and funeral; and bid er faw any one appear more perme in her name to tell her young fectly to have their reafon and friends and others at her funeral, to mental powers. There was a ho- learn to die, and that fhe bid them ly fear mixed with her joy; and farewel. In fpeaking of these though the faid many things while things fhe was as rational, calm, fhe lay a dying, yet it was with as and deliberate, as a kind parent much apparent care, as a confide-on going a journey would be, in rate witnefs would speak in a cafe addreffing, and giving directions of life and death. to his family. About three minutes before fhe died, with a diftinct and audible voice, the called two young people, (who then came in) by name, faying, "Fare you well: I have almost got thro' this troublesome world." She feemed to die with a luftre in her eyes, and a glow in her countenance. It was a wonderful scene of death, and triumph. I fat before her, and looking her in the face, my heart naturally cried, I shall here mention a few of her dying words which were wrote at the time of her death. I heard the most of them myself and wrote as the fpake them. Not far from funrife, the expreffed herself thus, "I have lived through a tedious night, and am brought to fee the light of a glorious morn. ing." Not long after she expreffed herself in these words: "Now I am going right into the arms of Jefus, to be difpofed of just as he pleafes. I am not afraid to be dead; I am not afraid to die." The house was foon filled with the neighbours, and her young friends. "Hofanna to the Prince of life, I bleffed that work, which iffued in fuch a victory over the king of terrors, and in fuch a lively hope of immortality, and could not but blefs thofe converted to Chrift, and congratulate them in their happy profpects in death. Thefe things were confounding even to infidels, and numbers who had thought lightly of the work, were now ready to fmite their breaft, and fay truly it is of God. I might enlarge, but I forbear, the time would fail. I have endeavoured to ftate fimple facts according to the beft judgment of a fallible creature, with a mixture of joy and fear. When I find Peter, an Apostle, deceived in Simon Magus, and hear him when speaking of the faith of Silvanus, ufing the cautious language, "a faithful brother as I fuppofe," it makes me tremble for fear how we fhall hold out. We cannot tell what will be on the morrow, and man is ignorant of the heart. Hence my defire is that all whom I have alluded to in the above narration, will remember that this is not an hour of boafting but of putting on the harnefs, and that it still remains to be proved by their fruits whether they have true religion or not. On the other hand, there is joy and hope in God, and I defire to be thankful to him, that he hath allowed me to stand and behold his glorious work; though I muft confefs I never felt fo useless since I entered on the ministry. God hath wrought; and to his name be all the glory! And may he ftrength perufal of writings which are dictated by the present feelings and views of the writer, and which of courfe come warm from the heart, that cannot generally be expected in an equal degree, from those which are purely didactic. In the prefent cafe, the maturity of tho't and the purity and ardor of fentiment difcovered, by a young perfon, who had enjoyed no uncom· mon advantages for religious improvement, will, it is hoped, be interefting to the reader, and ef pecially as they evince, if we are not mistaken, that the Spirit of God is the most effectual teacher of divine truth. On the 15th February 1793, Mrs. Bifhop writes as follows."This is my anniversary birthday. Let me hail the new-born year with delight: As the lart year has been productive of more mercies than I can number, let en his own work, and more abun-my gratitude the enfuing year dantly increase it, until all that is, fhall, as it were be abforbed in greater glory! From your real friend, JEREMIAH HALLOCK. Weft-Simsbury, Aug. 18, 1800. find fweet employment in the contemplation of redeeming love. -Grace refines and purifies the foul-It gives a pleafing charm to every employment, whether in profperity or adversity.-It covenant God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost I do, 'this day, without any reservation fet my hand and feal in an everlafting covenant.--May it be rat'ified in heaven with thy glorious approbation. renders the mind pleased with it- |' any known duty. And now my felf, and with the difpenfations ' of divine providence. Let me place my happiness on God alone, and in him place my truft and confidence.-Do I purfae the love of the creature more ⚫ than of the Creator? Search me,' O God, and try me, fee if there 'be any comparison ! If I know own heart there is none, yet my 'the heart is deceitful above all "Time ever on the wing-its great importance !" "Time I find is a most precious jewel to prepare us for eternity things and defperately wicked, 'who can know it! To thee Ito meditate upon the importance ⚫ commit myself as not deferving of an interest in the blood of the ' dear Redeemer, and to contemplate on the things of another world: And yet, many times, I cannot but rejoice that time flies away fo faft, and that fo many of my days are already past. The mortal fummons to call me to the invisible world would be a welcome meffenger toconduct me to my Father's houfe, my glafs feems to be running apace, my the least mercy, thy love is un'bounded.-Thou haft manifefted thyfelf unto me, as not unto the world.-Thou art prefent in my ⚫ fecret retirement, when no mortal eye is near, there I meet with thy fpecial favor.-Thy grace has been fufficient for me in times of trial and temptation.-Should this be my laft anniverfary birth day, may I die in peace and fleep in Jefus, and awake to a glori-fands are almost numbered. 'Tis 'ous immortality where every tongue fhall confefs thee, Lord and King. To thee I commend my fpirit, after renewing my cov⚫enant engagements.-O most gracious God, fince thou haft ap 'pointed the Lord Jefus Chrift as the only way of coming to thee, I do here, upon the bend-hold, in that, which I once looked ed knees of my foul, renewedly but a step-O why is thy chariot 'fo long in coming. I defire to give God all the glory for these attainments, for furely a worm of the duft could never reach 'them without divine aid, the love of God in the heart. Thou 'canft in thy love teach me to be. upon as my greatest enemy, my real friend appointed to conduct me to the manfions above, which aur dear Lord hath prepared that we might be with him and fee his glory. If heaven above was alike changeable as this world, furely we fhould not groan to be unclothed with this mortal-it is to put on immortality.-When a thousand years are paft, eter accept of him for my covenant friend, and do hereby folemnly join myself to thee-I bid defi ance to all thy enemies and caft all idols from my heart. And * whereas I have formerly fet my affections and placed my happinefs inordinately on worldly objects, * I do here, from the bottom of my heart renounce them.-I call heaven and earth to record this'nity is just begun.-We shall fing ⚫ day that I do here folemnly en'gage myself to thee.-I will not allow myfelf in the neglect of VOL. I. No. 5. Z the fong of Mofes and the Lamb. The day of judgment carries fomething awful in its reprefent "Sabbath, Oct. 20th, 1793. My eyes were wandering, I did Lot ftudioufly avoid the most 'confpicuous place.-Satan took 'advantage of my too eafy un' watchful frame. That time "ation. The laft trump that calls ⚫ the world to judgment is a grand and harmonizing found, folemnlic worship, but to what purpose? ⚫ and fublime is the vifion recorded Rev. xx. 12, 13. And Ifaw the dead small and great ftand be⚫fore God and the books were opened, &c. And the fea gave ' up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. I feem to fee the fcattered bones, ⚫ which have been fo long fepara ' which I intended to devote wholly to God (O dreadful to repeat) was too much taken up upon fublunary objects. My heart ftill prone to wander? Ah! How 'ted, perhaps, into diftant king-juftly may this fentence be appli'doms, and every member take ed, My houfe fhall be called a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves, have stolen the time of divine worship to bestow it upon earthly objects.— The heart is deceitful above all things and defperately wicked! their place. This must be the effect of infinite power. It is 'marvellous in our eyes.-The 'world will vanifh like a fcroll in the twinkling of an eye.-The dead both fmall and great, what vaft numbers, muft appear be- Why this trial is fent me I 'fore their judge, and every mouth know not. But the fcripture 'will be stopped! They who faith what I do thou knowest not 'have not walked in the commands ' now but thou fhalt know here" of the Lord here to the left hand. after. Let me, O God, ever To the left hand of your judge abide in the promise, and in thy 'with a loud amen will reiterated- holy word take great delight.— ly vibrate from every tongue.How inconfiftently have I acted? Doomed to the gulph of black Have not my eyes been amufed defpair. O, could they now con- by vanity, and my heart drawn 'ceive the horror their agonizing ' off from thee by idle and distrac'confciences will then be in, fure-ted ideas. How often have I rely they must wish and long earn - folved to keep a strict watch over Wednesday 23d. eftly to be freed from that infer-my eyes and heart in the house 'nal den-where devils dwell to of God, and to let no thought 'be tormented forever, where the 'be found in my heart which was 'worm dieth not and the fire is inconfiftent with thy dying admonot quenched-where there isnition: Watch and pray-that weeping and wailing and gnafh-ye enter not into temptation. ing of teeth forever.-But on the right hand what rapturous "praife-their mufic how divine! like Gabriel they tune their gol. den harps, and touch every chord 'with divine harmony. Hark! "the melodious found, Alleluiah! Alleluiah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! Rejoice, O my foul, in the profpect of this happy day.Amen." Let this day be kept as a spe'cial day of fafting and prayer, to humble myself before Almighty God, for the tranfgreffion of the laft Lord's day, and for that darling fin that doth fo easily be: fet me.-Let my repentance be evangelical and fincere.-Let no mortal eye intrude upon my re'tirement, and while I abftain from |