ders, will open to our view, and interest, unspeakably interest, our disembodied spirits. Eternity! what a word is eternity! When this terraqueous globe shall be one general mass of fire, when time shall be no more, our souls shall live in eternity. Millions and millions of ages hence, they shall flourish immortal in the New Jerusalem, or be sinking deeper and deeper in the fire that never shall be quenched. We are now preparing for one of these states. We are forming characters, which shall decide our future destiny, and we are enjoying privileges, which will extend their influence to eternal ages. Through an endless duration we may take a retrospective view of the moments we are now spending, and that with ineffable joy or sorrow. O that I could find language, that would adequately convey to you the feelings of my heart. Could I use the dialect of eternity, how would I portray these everlasting truths and realities, in awful solemnity and emphasis, suited to their magnitude and importance. May the Spirit of the Lord write them upon our hearts, and cause us habitually to live and act under their impression. O my cousin, let our conduct be in reference to that tremendous day, which shall assemble the sleeping nations in one vast con course, produce the archives of eternity, reveal the secrets of every heart, and decide the fi condition of every individual. Now let us awake from our guilty slumbers, and im prove every remaining moment in the service of our Maker, Let us evince our attachment to Immanuel, by our readiness to every good word and work. Let us live as strangers and pilgrims here, crucified to the world, and the world to us. Let us deposit our hopes, our hearts and our treasures in heaven, and live the lives of heaven-born souls. What tho we incur the charge of enthusiasm or superstition; if we suffer for righteousness sake, happy are we; and if we cannot endure the obloquy and ridicule of a wicked world, surely we are not worthy the name of Christians. O let us be ambitious of that honor, which cometh from God, and dare to be singularly good in this lukewarm time, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and living the life of heaven upon earth, that others may take knowledge of us, that we have been with Jesus, and learnt of him. That you may be an honor to your Christian profession, a blessing to your friends, society and the world, and at length be introduced to a state of rich and transporting glories, where Jesus is all in all, is the wish of your friend, FANNY, Extract from a Letter to Miss B. P. of Danvers. My dear Friend, CHRISTIAN friendship, endeared by coinci dence of sentiments and long habits of inti mate familiarity, is one of the most delightful and inestimable privileges indulged us in these adverse chimes. Tho it subjects us to many painful and delicate sensibilities, yet its concomitant sweets and delights vastly prepon derate. It sheds benignant lustre on our pil grim-state, and strews the thorny path of life with delectable flowers. The mings of Potosi, the wealth of Indies, "a world in purchase for a friend, is gain." Of how much greater importance then, is the friendship of Him, who is infinite in love and goodness, and who gives eterual life to all his friends. If it be desirable to form an attachment with the wise and good of our fellow-mortals, O how immensely desirable is an indissoluble union with the Wonderful Counsellor, the Father of lights, and God of all comfort, wisdom, power and perfection. What an indubitable proof has he given of his love to us, in that he died for us, white we were enemies. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. But He, who claims an equality with the Father, possessed of all divine attributes and excellencies, condescended to veil his Deity in humanity, inhabit our wretched earth, and die on Calvary's rugged summit, for those who had rebelled against his righteous government, trampled on his laws, and® abused his grace. He left the bosom of his heavenly Father, that we might sweetly recline on it; he for a while relinquished the adoration of the heavenly hosts, that we might be elevated to their beatific society; he resigned the joys and glories of heaven, that we might be raised to their fruition; he became poor, that we might be made rich; he bled, and groaned, and died, that he might extract the sting of death, and open the portals of paradise. () shall not our souls glow with love and ardor in his dear cause, and strive to magnify and extol the riches of his grace? His cause is dear, unspeakably dear to his heart, and shall prevail. Tho now it seems almost ex piring, yet, like the fabled Phenix, it shall emerge from its obscurity, and shine with renovated lustre and increasing beauty. Blessed are all they, who love and promote this blessed cause, and whose interests are blended with the interests of Zion. Blessed are those, who are emancipated from spiritual Egypt, and steering their course to Canaan, with songs of rejoicing and shouts of praise. Ere long shall their tiresome wanderings terminate, and, in "the swellings of Jordan," the land of promise shall open to their view, with all its exuberant beauties and unwithering joys. Respecting the general conversation of convivial parties, I perfectly agree with you, that it is desultory, unprofitable, and unsatisfactory. O when shall we all learn to converse on things pertaining to the kingdom of God, wherewith one may edify another? I conclude you are in a school; and much do I wish you grace to enable you to discharge its complicated and arduous duties to the accept ance of your God. Your very affectionate and obliged friend, Note to Miss E. S. of Beverly. June 6, 1815. How do you do, my dear friend, after your tedious walk? I feel quite miserably in body; but not more so, than I forboded. However, I do love the place where prayer is wont to be made; and, considering only myself, I could cheerfully make many sacrifices, and bear maBy crosses to enjoy the precious privilege. O how sweet to encircle the throne of grace, and unitedly supplicate the favor of the great Supreme. How incomparably preferable to the ceremonious, promiscuous visits, so much in vogue, whose only object seems to be to throw time away in vain insipid conversation. Does it not grieve your heart to meet with those who profess religion, whose tongues run freely on worldly themes, but are still, when things pertaining to the kingdom of God are advanced? Perhaps too they may suggest that they have not the gift that some have, and cannot talk upon their feelings, &c. We know there is a variety of different talents; but is it proba ble, or even possible, that one, who has felt the power of religion, and can talk volubly upon common-place subjects, should seldom, or never, expatiate on the beauties of the divine Savior, the character of God, the worth of the soul, the cause of Zion, and the exercises of his own heart? Do write very soon upon this subject; for it has exceedingly interested, and grieved my heart. Letter to Miss B. P. of Danvers. FANNY. Beverly, June 9, 1813. THE Christian life, my dear Betsy, is a warfare, a continual conflict. If we have renounced allegiance to sin and Satan, and enlisted under the banners of the Prince of peace, we have engaged in a war against three potent enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil. We have to fight, not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness and spiritual wicked |