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not soon drink abundantly of the wine of my Father's kingdom, and feast on fruit, dropping sweetly from the tree of life? Haste my Beloved, shorten these interposing days, and receive my parting spirit to thy glorious rest.

May 13 The years that are past arise to my view, and present cause for deep humiliation, self-abasement and contrition. Ah they are recorded in the annals of eternity, with all their numerous misimprovements, imperfec tions and sins. Not one moment of them can ever be recalled; not one action ever be undone. As I kneeled before the throne this eve, as usual, I ruminated on what I have been and what I now am, and the tears of sorrow stole gently down; and when I was engaged in supplication, I was blest with some fixedness, ardor and importunity, and found the season grateful to my soul.

Letter to Miss M. W. of Beverly.

Beverly, May 14, 1814. IT grieves me to learn you are in darkness, seeking after your Beloved, but finding him not, and wandering about in this distant land, with scarce one drop of bliss to smooth the way. But despond not. Your case is by no means peculiar. Trust in the Lord, and cast your every care on him; for he careth for you, and will relieve and succor you in the best time. Ere long, I trust, you will rejoice in his returning smiles, and the rich manifestations of his glory to your soul; and then you will go on your way rejoicing with lively gratitude and ardent zeal. Continue in the use of his appointed means, humbly impioring his gracious

presence, and the cheering influences of his Holy Spirit; and be more anxious to have your trials sanctified, than removed. Such feelings are unpleasant; but they are necessary to teach us our weakness and nothingness, wean us from the world, increase our humility, watchfulness and prayer, and make us more dependent on the arm of the Almighty. If they have this effect on you through the blessing of God, you will have great reason to magnify and adore his holy name, and rejoice in his universal government.

O my sister, be not weary, nor faint in your mind. Press onward in the path of duty, look. ing to Jesus, who was tempted like as you are, sin excepted; and exercise faith in his mighty name; for it is by faith and not by sight we must live here. I feel a tender interest in your concerns, and I cannot but long that the comforts of religion may be yours. O may your weary soul rest sweetly on the bosom of Jesus.

We have had no meeting this eve; but all is right; for the winds and the storms might easily have been calmed by Jehovah's word, if on the whole it had been best for us to have encircled the altar of social prayer and praise.

If you have not read dear Mrs. Newell's Memoirs, I wish you may; for I think you will be pleased and profited. She is gone to her rest; and my pained heart says it is right, all right, tho she was the best beloved of all my numerous friends, and fondly united by many a tie. Yours in love, FANNY.

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Note to Miss E. S. of Beverly, then at Wenham.

May 21, 1814.

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You ask, "What is communion with God?” I wish I were better able to tell you. can better be known by experience, than by description. I think however I have just felt it in my retirement, unless I am most fatally deluded. I have been favored with much enlargement in petition for almost every thing. I seemed to leave all sublunary things, and grasped after durable riches, and soul satisfy ing blessings for myself, my friends, my ac quaintances, my sisters of the church, my dear* enemies, poor perishing pagans, for the ministers of Christ as a body, and particular individuals, for humane and religious Societies, praying female Societies, for the enlargement of Zion, and universal diffusion of peace, love and religion. If I know my own heart, there is not a false friend nor an enemy, nor a soul in this habitable world, but I can carry to the throne of grace, and supplicate the same mercies, and enjoyments, and graces, that I do for myself. O want to have my whole soul moulded into pure gospel love, and to exhibit it illustriously in my temper and conduct. Will you not pray that this may be the case? Do, my dearly beloved; and forget not to praise the Lord for the precious filial freedom I have enjoyed and still hope to enjoy in pouring out my soul before him a cordial for all my sorrows and trials, a sweet relief from every wo. O, if one drop of heaven is so good, what is heaven itself? May you and I know by happy experience. O may you be in the Spirit on * Matt. 5:44.

the Lord's day, and make advances in experi. mental piety. Good evening, my dear friend. FANNY WOODBURY.

Note to Miss E. S. of Beverly, then at Wenham.
Muy 22, 1814.

As it is not customary to keep school on election days, you will probably come home. I want you should devote Wednesday morn to a delightful ramble with me. I anticipate it with sensations of joy. But no; let us not depend too much; for it is a day which myriads of our race will never see. I want to feel that I have nothing to do here, but to glorify God, benefit immortal beings, work out my own salvation, and make my way to a fairer region.

Blessed be the Lord for the griefs and woes that have of late been mine to suffer. For they show the utter vanity of all below, and the preciousness of that gospel, which bringeth life and immortality to light. Welcome then our trials, if thereby we may be conformable to our suffering Lord, and purified, and fitted for that world, where tears are wiped from every eye, and sorrows are known no more. Is this our home? Shall our spirits meet there, when these bodies repose in a bed of dust? O if we should not-But I must hope; and may Heaven in mercy grant that my ho, e may never prove destructive to my soul. The storms of life are blowing over, and to the meek follower of Christ, an everlasting calm shall soon succeed. Let us then be patient, and establish our hearts; for the coming of the Lord drawoth nigh. And may grace work in us to will, to do and to suf

fer, and then bestow the rich and glorious reward.

Yours,

FANNY.

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Letter to Miss M. W. of Beverly,

Beverly, May 30, 1814. Sabbath morn. I am happy to learn, my dear Miss W. that you have regained peace and tranquillity of mind, and are now reposing sweetly under the shadow of Immanuel, and feasting on the rich food he has prepared for his humble followers. You think you do not yet feel that lively faith and love you desire. But you have every thing to encourage you to hope and trust in the Lord; for he is good to the soul that waiteth for him, and none shall seek his face in vain. Ọ may you keep near to him, and be favored with times of refreshing from his presence-rich streams of consolation, flowing gently from the exhaustless Fountain to exhilarate and gladden your heart, while you traverse this desert wild. It is, my dear friend, through much tribulation, that we must make our way to the port of rest. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Those who exhibit the beauty and power of godliness, and are active in the service they love, meet with opposition, not only from Satan and the openly ungodly, but also from many who bear the Christian name. This I think one of the many and heavy trials the decided votary of religion is called to sustain; and needful indeed are the consolatory truths and promises of the gospel to cheer his fainting heart. But surely we will follow our Lord through evil as well as good report, and delight

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