cows, sometimes more; and, on Sunday mornings, instead of making cheese, she gave away the milk to the poor who applied for it; and I well remember a score or more poor children who have repeatedly been benefited by her liberality. Nor was her charity confined to her neighbours; she never turned away a beggar who was really in want, but relieved them as far as her ability went, either in food or clothing, or both. Indeed it was her greatest pleasure, when she could, and in every way in which she was able, to heal the wounds and soothe the sorrows of suffering humanity; and many times I remember her making a feast, and inviting the poor and such as could not repay her; her recompence being in seeing them happy. But her great recompence will be at the resurrection of the just. The following lines were truly applicable to her: "Give me my Bible in my hand, Nor wish to rove abroad." At her departure from Stillingfleet, when she came to reside at Preston, it was as if a funeral was in procession. Tears flowed on every side; and I never in my life saw or heard of such general regret, as when she bid them her finalFarewell! The removal to Preston was a most unfortunate one. It pleased God to permit them, by circumstances over which they had no control, to be stript of nearly all 66 their property. Still, she retained her unshaken confidence in her God, and could say with Job, "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him;" and with the prophet Habbakuk, Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shal yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." And I can safely appeal to those who knew her best, that this was truly her experience and christian resignation. Indeed, I never heard her repine, but on the contrary, she has over and again said, it is the Lord's will, and we needed the chastisement, or he would not have permitted it. He is too wise to err, and too good to be unkind; our trials, which are . but for a moment, will, I hope and trust, work together for our eternal welfare; and what we know here only in part, will be made known to us hereafter. Indeed, her soul prospered best in the valley of humility; and when difficulties have arisen, and I have been sorely perplexed, she has said, if things do not come to us, we must go to them; thou always looks at the dark side; let us hope for the best, things will turn up better than thou expects; and this I have proved a many times to be the case. The time was now drawing fast on when she was to be summoned before her God and finish her probation here. The week before she died, she dreamed she was going to be married, and that she was in the company of her two deceased brothers, who said to her, if thou 1 canst only get him, thou wilt be happy for ever. This dream made a powerful impression upon her mind; she said, Christ is my bridegroom; I shall get him, and I shall be blest for ever. As I have already observed, she oft expressed a wish that her life and labour might cease together; and so it was. Her illness was very short, but throughout, her evidences were brighter and brighter as she drew nearer and nearer the close of her earthly career. On Tuesday, February 12th, she was taken much worse. I attended her day and night, assisting her to be got up as long as it could be done. Some time prior to her dissolution, she was rendered speechless, so that she could not express except by signs what were her views |