one knows; indeed, the Spirit of the Lord must have instructed her. It was very affecting to be there; she longed to be gone; and when she spoke of her interest, she laid such a stress on the 'My Lord-My God.' The concluding line of one verse she repeated was 'I'll in His arms expire.' There was much profit to be gained at her death-bed, because there was so much that was supernatural." Two days before she died (says the previous writer) I showed her a picture of the Saviour, with the bread and wine before him. She took it in her feeble hands and said, "Blessed, blessed Saviour; but this is only a picture; I shall soon see you in reality." The day before she died she said to me, “ I am always thinking of God, and Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, but these are one person; I see God as a spirit." I replied, "I think you will soon see them as they are, and 'all will be joyful to you." "Yes," she said, "then that will be joyful; then we shall meet to part no more." Soon after she expressed herself much grieved that she could not pray aloud, for when she attempted to speak, her cough became troublesome, and she had so much phlegm, and was, withal, so short breathed, that the exertion would quite overcome her. I told her that God, who bad caused her weakness, did not require it of her; he knew her heart. She said, putting her hand to her heart, "He knows I would if I could; I have put myself into his hands; I fear not death-the sting is taken away." Three minutes before she breathed her last, she asked for me, and said, "I shall soon"-stopping for breath-"I shall soon-enjoy-"and without moving hand or foot fell asleep in the arms of her blessed Jesus. [To the foregoing account we add another, with which we have since been favoured. As to age it forms a perfect contrast. The individual whose case we have cited was seventy years old; that of the one we are about to give was only ten. But both were blessedly instructed by the same Teacher in a sovereign way. Who that knows anything experimentally of the sovereignty of grace-the freeness of divine love, but will stand and admire the operations of God the Holy Ghost, as, in his tenderness and mercy, he is pleased to begin, carry on, and complete the purposes of his grace, when, where, and by what means he pleases. Conscious, as we are, that these two instances of the sovereignty of divine grace will be but ill received by the proud Pharisee, and the mere intellectual religionist-with whom the present dark day abourds-we publish them-we enter them as our feeble protest against the maxims, the observances of the day, to the acknowledgment of the blessed Spirit's work, without the aid of puny mortals!-ED.] MY DEAR FRIEND, Margate, Feb. 26, 1835. We have had a display of divine sovereignty and rich grace amongst us here, which I judge will be interesting to you to hear of; I therefore give you the following statement of facts:— Some time in January last, a daughter of Mr. Hogg, of the North Foreland Lighthouse (who was ten years old last September), was terrified by a dog to such a degree, as to produce the following fatal result. It appears the dog was of the Newfoundland kind, of a playful inoffensive disposition, and well known to the child, who was naturally timid. Being a short distance from home by herself, she was met by the dog, and in order to avoid him she ran until her strength failed, when she fell down. Her screams brought assistance, and when taken home her head was found thrown back, and remained fixed in that position until she died. The child being in great agony from pain and fright, a medical man was sent for, who soon inquired if she had been frightened, when she related her encounter with the dog. To be as short as possible on this part of the narrative, which is only introductory to what I have more particularly in view, she continued in this deplorable situation for eight days, without being able to take the smallest portion of food of any kind; so that, in fact, she was literally starved to death. During the first few days she suffered much from hunger, but afterwards her thirst was the more dreadful. She had periodical paroxysms, when her sufferings were exceedingly great and distressing to witness; and it was necessary for four persons to be with her, night and day, to the last. She foamed at the mouth and would have bitten her attendants; in short, she manifested every symptom of hydrophobia, or canine madness, though she was never touched by the dog. This is the most painful part of my narrative; what follows is not only more pleasing, but to me is one of the most conspicuous and wonderful displays of divine grace and sovereign mercy I have ever heard or read of. Before the above occurrence, her parents had never discovered anything in this child that distinguished her from others, or that indicated anything of a spiritual change, or that led them to suppose that she was concerned about her immortal soul. However, her distressing situation proved an occasion of developing the Lord's goodness to her in such a wonderful way, that, except it be that recorded of Samuel, I am not aware of any case in the Bible like unto it. Suffice it to say, a door of utterance was given to her to declare what the Lord had done for her, which afforded the most satisfactory evidence that she was an object of divine favour of her being called by his grace-and that she was now dying in the faith of Jesus. That she had been a child of prayer prior to this event, though unknown before, was now made manifest by her saying (in allusion to her father's illness, two years ago), "I prayed to God, father, most earnestly for your recovery when you were ill;" and to her eldest sister, who was lame and in a poor state of health, with whom she slept, " You don't know, Anne, how often I have knelt against that box and prayed to God for you." The passages of Scripture and verses of hymns she repeated were numerous, and singularly appropriate to her case. Her friends were quite ignorant how she had obtained so much information; indeed, the extent of her knowledge was so great, as, to use her father's own words, "put us all to the blush." I cannot give you a hundredth part of what fell from her own dear lips, during her illness of eight days, but the following will serve as a sample. Soon after she was brought home she said, "I think I shall never get better; I hope I shall go to heaven; do you think I am safe, mother? Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, and clothe my naked soul." She then repeated "Who is it knocks at mercy's door, and pleads on humble knee?' 'Say what's the cause of all this grief, what is it thou wouldst have?' * Precious words, reader. Think of them as the involuntary quotation of a child. O wondrous grace! rich mercy! thus to manifest itself in the heart of child! Surely this is a gracious fulfilment of the Scripture-"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength" (Psalm viii. 2). Blessed be his glorious name! Carry your children to the Lord, parents, however feeble the arms of your faith. Tell the Lord who they are-what they are-and all your fears about them. Importune him-give him no rest-go again, and again, and again; ay, if it be for ten, twenty, forty years, still cry on. If your profligate son be far away-in the army, or tossed on the mighty deep, or, for aught you know, at the bottom of the ocean-still cry. Two instances at this moment press upon our minds, and melt us into tears at the remembrance. One was of a disobedient son who had long been reported as dead-as having fallen overboard at the Cape of Good Hope. He returned! The other was that of a man who pursued a most profligate career for forty years. His father's heart was well nigh bursting with grief. We have known him groan before the Lord in intensest agony, and have heard him say, "I shall die of a broken heart on account of that boy." He did die; and unmoved did that son behold his father's corpse: nay, to instance the hardihood into which he had sunk, in order to show forth the power of the Arm which was needed to rescue him—and to encourage parents never to give up prayer-for "while there's life there's hope"his remark by that corpse was, "6 I have been engaged removing a churchyard lately, and am become so accustomed to dead bodies that the sight of them does'n't move me." Oh, human heart! devil-like ingratitude! But the time-yea, the set time to favour Zion came. The father was dead, it is true; he was gone home to glory; Afterwards she said, "I am happy, I never was so happy before; you all love me, but God loves me more than you all. He has taken away the stony heart, and has given me a heart of flesh. Oh! I want to go to heaven; I have been praying to my Heavenly Father to take me out of this miserable world." She then exclaimed Seeing her mother weep, she said, "Do not cry for me, mother, I am going to heaven; I have two fathers, one in heaven and one on earth; I am going to my Father in heaven." She frequently repeated the first verse of the hundred and sixth hymn of "Kent's ;" always changing the pronoun "his," in the last line, to "her," greatly to the astonishment of the bystanders. "In hope of life eternal given, Behold a pardoned sinner dies; A legal blood-bought heir of heaven, On her medical attendant remarking that she might yet get better, she replied, "I know it, sir, it is not impossible;" and then said "For he that died my soul to save, Can snatch my body from the grave." On her mother saying, "Would you not rather live with me a little longer?" she replied, "No, the Lord is better to me than ten thousand mothers; I am going to eternal happiness." She then repeated "He will all my wants supply," &c.; at the end of which she said, "I am dying— 'Nor fear to cross that gloomy sea, Since thou hast tasted death for me; Many more such wonderful sayings she uttered, but owing to the distressed state of her friends, they were not noted down at the time. It was remarked she never shed a tear, but appeared as grave and composed as an adult; and told those around her not to grieve, for she was going to heaven. SAMUEL COOde. The Bible CURIOUS REMARKS ON THE BIBLE BY AN ELDERLY WIDOW. contains 3,566,489 letters; 810,697 words; 31,173 verses; 1189 chapters; 66 books. The word "and" occurs 46,227 times; "Lord," 1855; "reverend," once, and that in the 111th Psalm. The twenty-seventh verse of the seventh chapter of Ezra, contains the alphabet; the nineteenth chapter of the second book of Kings, and the thirty-seventh chapter of Isaiah, are alike. The first man recorded as buried in a coffin was Joseph (Gen. 1. 26). Nowhere but in the first chapter of the second of Timothy is the name "grandmother" mentioned. Two particularly fine chapters to read are, Joel, ii. and Acts, xxvi. There is no name or word of more than six syllables in the Holy Bible.* but the God of the father still lived. He laid on his afflictive hand; he struck the rebel down; and we visited the once blaspheming W- an altered, an humbled man, a broken-hearted sinner crying for mercy. "I do pray," he said, "I lie here all night crying for mercy. I want him to say to my soul, Thy sins be forgiven thee."" And at another time he said, "Who knows but that I shall meet again my dear old father in heaven? Do you recollect the three wonders?" said he. "If ever we get to heaven we shall wonder at not seeing those there we expected to see; we shall wonder to see those there we did not expect to see; and our greatest wonder will be that we are there ourselves." He died, and the last words he uttered were, "Precious Jesus! precious Jesus! precious Jesus!"-Ed. Did the person who thus spent so much time in acquainting herself with the literal contents of the Bible, ever know anything of its spiritual import? The knowledge is very distinctive.—ÉD. POPERY UNCHANGED, UNCHANGING, AND UNCHANGEABLE. FROM casual observance with our eyes half-shut, and an habitual inclining to sloth, we should be induced to blame our highly-esteemed brother Irons for ushering in our monthly friend with fearful apprehensions. We might indeed reply, and tell him that we see no immediate preparations for the block and the stake. Thus the antediluvians parleyed, and the flood came and swept them all away. Thus at the eve of every eventful crisis the prophets sounded the alarm, and scarcely in one instance (except in the case of Jonah) did they obtain even a general hearing, much less did their warnings take a general good effect. Yet God sent them. Yet He bid them prophesy; He put into their mouths not only the words which they should deliver, but also added those emphatic words, "Yet will they not hear thee." Let us apply these remarks to our own days. In the midst of political rencounter Lord Alvaney steps up and gravely informs us that" the spirit of improvement is felt even at Rome;" meaning, I presume, that Popery is a little modified, somewhat altered, more enlightened, less cruel to heretics, less superstitious, and various other legitimate and necessary inferences might be deduced from his lordship's words. Let us examine this matter a little. The writer is convinced that he possesses advantages for this undertaking (pardon his vanity), living in the midst of a large village population, the very nest of Popery. Truly it may be said that Satan's seat is here. I have obtained the loan of a book from one of my Roman Catholic neighbours, who informs me that they have it in general use at their chapel, as people at church have their prayer-book. Moreover he informs me that it was presented to him by the priest for his use. I am the more particular in relating these little incidents, because, from the stupidity of its contents, many of the readers of the GoSPEL MAGAZINE would turn from its perusal from a persuasion that it was the fabrication of an enemy, and charge one with an act of indiscretion at least, for bringing it before them. The book in question bears the imposing title of "The Garden of the Soul; or, a Manual of Spiritual Exercises and Instructions for Christians who, living in the world, aspire to Devotion. A New and Amended Edition, by Lawful Authority." From the above book I extract the following, being a part and parcel of the "Devotions before Communion." "8. Implore the prayers of the blessed Virgin and of the saints.-O all ye blessed angels and saints of God, who see him face to face, whom I here receive under these humble veils; and thou most especially, ever-blessed Virgin, Mother of this same God and Saviour, in whose sacred womb he was conceived and borne for nine months; I most humbly beg the assistance of your prayers and intercession, that I may in such manner receive him here, in this place of banishment, as to be brought one day to enjoy him with you in our true country, and there to praise him and love him for ever." Pp. 260-261. Having recited the above prayer, the following instructions are enforced, and reads thus :-" At the time of communion go up to the rail, and take up the towel and hold it before you. Whilst the clerk says the confiteor, humbly confess your sins, and beg God's pardon for them. When the priest turns about to give the absolution, receive it with your head bowed down, as from the hand of the invisible High Priest, whom you are going to receive. "When the priest holds up a particle of the blessed sacrament with these words-Ecce Agnus Dei-Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh POPERY UNCHANGED, UNCHANGING, AND UNCHANGEABLE. 155 away the sins of the world-humbly beg, with a lively confidence in the merits of his death and passion, that he would take away your sins. "When the priest repeats three times-Domine, non sum dignus-Lord, I am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my roof, speak only the word, and my soul shall be healed-say the same with him in your heart, &c. At "When the priest gives you the blessed sacrament, saying, The body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul to everlasting life, amen-receive it with a lively faith, a profound humility, and a heart inflamed with love. the time of your receiving, let your head be erect, your mouth opened moderately wide, and your tongue a little advanced so as to rest upon your under lip, that the priest may conveniently convey the blessed sacrament into your mouth; which being done, shut your mouth, let the sacred host moisten a little upon your tongue, and then swallow it down as soon as you can, and afterwards refrain awhile from spitting. If the host should chance to stick to the roof of your mouth, be not disturbed, neither must you put your finger into your mouth to remove it, but gently and quietly remove it with your tongue, and so convey it down; and then return to your place, and endeavour to entertain, as well as you can, the guest whom you have received," &c. p. 261. Thus ends this idolatrous farce, and the simple man walks away with his God in his bowels. No difference can be observed in it from the time of its being made to its being swallowed. The cramp Latin words of consecration, which are, hoc est meum corpus (this is my body), leaves it as it finds it, a BIT OF PASTE. The following extract is taken from the "Litany of our Lady of Loretto." Anthem "We fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God, despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, Ò ever glorious and blessed virgin," Spiritual Vessel Vessel of honour Vessel of singular devotion Tower of David House of Gold Ark of the Covenant Gate of Heaven Morning Star Health of the Weak Comforter of the afflicted Queen of Patriarchs Queen of Prophets Queen of Apostles Queen of Martyrs Queen of Confessors Queen of Virgins Pray for us. Thus ends the forty-four titles given to the Virgin Mary; what a string of excellences! My brother Protestants, what think you of the above? Is it any part of our duty, our privilege to face this accursed foe, or anything approximating thereto? Alas! alas! for Dr. Pusey and his long tail. "Better is a poor wise man than a rich fool." Cossey. Y MODERATUS. |