were to believe his promises and accept his free and full atonement.' 'I am sure that has been the case with me,' replied Mrs. B,' for the Lord has been wonderfully patient over my stubborn heart.' Then,' said I, 'let us profit by past experience, let us continue instant in prayer, and patiently await a favorable opportunity of renewing our intercourse.' After some weeks I received a message from Mrs. B-, requesting me to call upon her, as her husband's improved health enabled him to resume his work, She told me, with tears, that B's mind continued in the same awful state of rebellion, and that she hoped she should not offend God by continuing constantly to pray for him. I referred her to our blessed Saviour's exhortation, "that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." I reminded her how Christ repeated his prayers in the garden of Gethsemane three times, and I repeated the injunctions, "Be instant in prayer,-pray without ceasing." These and similar texts greatly encouraged her, and while she thanked God for the written word, she added with much humility, 'I have also occasion to pray for myself, lest I should in any degree strengthen my husband's prejudices. I am sorry to say my temper is quick and irritable, and I am anxious to show that the Spirit of God can subdue it. I am indeed striving, by God's help, to bear his ill humours patiently. I rejoice to say, our neighbour Sis removed to another cottage, and my husband is now from home on Sunday as formerly, which gives me liberty on that day, and I find going to Church strengthens me to perform my duties.'

Illness again visited B- I heard of his indisposition, and providing myself with some of his favourite fruit, directed my footsteps to his cottage. The gift, I thought, may be acceptable, though the giver is des

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pised; and is it not so in a tenfold degree as respects the Giver of all good? How often are his benefits received, and his bounty unacknowledged. Isa. i. With chastened feelings I tapped at the door, and easily gained admittance, as I was not expected. The invalid was seated in an arm-chair by the fire-side: the angry expression of his eye showed I was no welcome visitor. I lost no time in producing my grapes; they were beautiful to look at: Hannah clapped her hands with delight, and her grandfather desired her to bring a plate to receive them. At this moment a violent storm came on, and the falling hail pelted against the casement. Run, child,' said the old man; 'fetch my cloak from the yard, and shut the back-door when you return, or we shall be flooded.' Mrs. Bplaced a chair for me, saying, 'Pray, Ma'am, be seated;' her husband said, 'You cannot go yet:' with this tacit permission I accepted the seat. While I was thinking in what manner I should proceed, my little handmaiden, of her own accord, presented me the Bible. I read the 27th of Matthew until I came to the 42nd verse; B- then interrupted me, by saying, 'Ah, to be sure; if he was the King they talked of, why indeed did he not come down from the cross; or rather, why did he suffer himself to be so treated: but the face of the whole history is fabulous, and none but children and old women will credit such idle tales.' Then, proceeding with painful irony, he ridiculed the birth of Christ, saying, that God must be a weak being, if he needed a baby to witness for him. Endeavouring to avoid testifying the deep interest I felt in the subject, (knowing that eager opposition would excite his displeasure,) I quietly answered, 'Jehovah had never left himself without witness; the succession of Day and Night, Summer

and Winter, bearing strong testimony to his Almighty power. The gift of his Son was granted for our sakes, to open our eyes to His wondrous love in sacrificing the Innocent, to save the guilty. Turning towards me with much asperity, he replied, If there is a God, how great must be His love towards me in thus afflicting me!-what good does Jesus Christ do to me? The anguish I suffer deprives me of sleep and appetite. I would not torture man nor beast in the way I am tortured now read or say what you will, you cannot make me believe that there is a God, a Devil, a heaven, or a hell.' Zech. iv. 6 crossed my mind. Poor Bturned his eyes towards the fire, which was blazing briskly; availing myself of the object of his attention, I said, 'Those coals could not burn, unless they were kindled.' 'Of course not,' he pettishly answered. 'Nor,' I answered, can our cold hearts believe unless they are awakened and quickened by God's Spirit.' An impatient ejaculation warned me from proceeding farther; and as the shower was over, I returned thanks for the shelter afforded, and sought, in the privacy of my chamber, a blessing upon what had passed. Shortly after, while I was taking my morning-walk, Hannah met me; she told me, her grandmother was ill, and wished to see me. 'I am going on an errand,' added the child, and if I run fast, I shall get home first, and will keep the door unlatched for you.' The weather was very cold, and I found the husband and wife sitting over a small fire. Hannah was desired to replenish it. The child brought a shovel full of coals. There, hold, not too much,' said the old man ; our fuel will soon be burnt, and I have no means of getting more: I have now been laid up six weeks and am worse every day; my wife is now fallen sick, and there is nothing in the MAY, 1847

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house for her: it is a shameful thing that any one should want in a land of plenty.' I presented a trifle, which Mrs. B—— gratefully accepted. That may help us to-day, but not supply the wants of to-morrow; and my nephew, to whom I have transferred my business, has sent me word this morning, that he needs my labour no longer, and has, during my illness, procured another hand younger than myself; there is base ingratitude! I raised him to his present employment of wheelwright, and now he turns his back upon me, and kicks at the ladder which has raised him to his present elevation; but that is the way of the world: while your pockets are full, friends are plentiful, but when poverty appears, every door is shut.' I ventured to say, 'There is one door still held open, by a friend born for adversity; one that is closer than a brother, One who stands knocking at the door of your heart; will you not open to your Saviour?' 'I shall find it all a shadow,' he replied. 'No,' I answered; no shadow, but an enduring substance.' 'How,' said B- can I grasp that which I cannot see?' The softened tone of his voice encouraged me to say, 'As a blind man trusts to his guide, so must the sinner, quite as much in the dark, take God at his word, and venture his all upon that promise, "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." " 'I have no power to do it,' he said. I turned towards his wife and child, who readily and heartily joined with me in supplicating the God of all mercy to give power to the faint, and to strengthen them which have no might; and, I trust we were in some measure enabled to realize the promise of our Saviour, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." As all this passed without opposition, I was encouraged to renew

my visit. Upon inquiring after their temporal concerns, they told me, that their savings were not exhausted, though much reduced; that they had friends in London, who would assist them if they lived in their neighbourhood, but they could not relieve them at a distance. 'We are hoping,' said Mrs. B, 'to accomplish some arrangement with our nephew.'

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There is no hope in that quarter,' said the old man; Will is a selfish character: he turns a deaf ear to every appeal.' 'Did you not enter into any agreement at the outset ?' 'No; I did not,' he replied, in an angry tone: then, lowering his voice, he said, 'I would not have deserted him: how could 1 think he would desert me: but that oversight is past; we have only to do with the present.' His last words brought to my recollection, " Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." I looked for Hannah; she was waiting by my side with the desired volume. I opened at Mark v., and began to read at the 22nd verse; I proceeded slowly until the 36th verse, and paused upon the words, " Be not afraid, only believe." Without raising his eyes, B exclaimed, 'I am afraid, I do not believe. I have thought so much of what you have read about God, that I cannot get Him out of my thoughts; and where is the use of your reading to trouble me; for if my opinions are wrong, I am lost.' I replied, 'All mankind are lost in God's sight, until found in Christ. " All we, like sheep, have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid upon Jesus the iniquity of us all." Moreover, the Son of God ever liveth to make intercession for his followers, and to plead as an Advocate in their behalf.' 'But,' said B- "if I do not believe the truth of what you say, I can derive no benefit from it.' 'You, then,' I said, ' are answerable for your own condemnation ; but God pities you in