WITHHOLD NOT THY HAND.

CHAPTER XXII.

"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand."

"AMONG the fruits of the revival," says Mr. Baldwin, "on- circuit, in 183-, was a young lady about fifteen years of age, whom I shall call Mary T. During a great revival in the town of more than one hundred were added to the church. The mind of Mary was deeply impressed by the spirit of God. Young and constitutionally timid, she was much embarressed when the subject of religion was mentioned to her; and too fearful to venture forward when mourners were invited to the altar. But upon one or two occasions she was led trembling to the place of prayer. Her sighs and tears evinced the sincerity of a broken heart, but she did find relief. While Rev. R. was spending his last Sabbath with us, he ob

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tained the consent of parent and child to place her name on the list of probationers. As leader of the class, the duty of instructing and admonishing her, now devolved upon me. Several of the friends and near relatives of Mary were not partial to that branch with which she had become united, and they were not sparing in their censures of the course which had been pursued in relation to her. The usual objections were urged, that she was young and easily excited-that she had been led to the altar without being conscious of what she was doing, and induced to connect herself with the church, simply by the persuasion of others, and not from any conviction of duty, and her continuance in the church and observance of its rules were regarded as an improper restraint upon her rights and feelings, to which she submitted more from necessity than choice. I was then a boarder in the family of Mrs. T., and not a remote connection by marriage. My young charge was naturally gay and volatile in her disposition, and when not under the imme

diate watch care of her connections, she was not averse to society of a kindred character and temperament with herself. It required all the authority and influence which I possessed, to keep her from places and scenes that would have inevitably impeded the work of Divine grace in her heart, and no doubt would have drawn her back again to the follies and gaities of the world. I frequently advised her to a more close attention to her religious duties, and sometimes when I feared that her seriousness was wearing off, I made her the subject of special prayer in the family circle. I remember on one occasion, that her heart was greatly softened; she arose from her knees weeping, and retired to her chamber, and her subsequent deportment was evidently more thoughtful and serious.

"Our quarterly meeting was in October, and it was attended with unusual manifestations of the power of Almighty God. The arm of the Lord was made bare, and the altar at times crowded with mourners. The convictions of

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my young friend Mary, came upon her with ac

cumulated force, until the was too heavy to be borne.

of God, broken in spirit, and

burden of her sin She left the house exhausted in body, refused so be con

weeping and groaning, and soled. Two others had found peace in believing, and Mary was now sincerely hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Blessed be God, that night she found peace to her soul also. Her conversion was clear, bright and glorious. Never did I see a countenance more sweetly expressive and radiant with the joys of heaven. Her subsequent christian course was like that of many others. While faithful she enjoyed the smiles of her Savior, and when remiss in duty, coldness of spirit ensued. She continued to prove herself an acceptable member of the church, and went on her way rejoicing. Soon after I was called to another part of the vineyard of the Lord. However, I met her two years afterward, and found that she was steadfast, and much happier than the hour that she first believed. The winter following

she came under my pastoral care, but alas! the 'fine gold had become dim.' A too constant and familiar intercourse with the world, had by 'little and little' drawn her mind from God, and she had lost the power and much even of the form of godliness. At times she was led even to doubt her conversion, and to look upon her past experience as a delusion. She had no longer that plainness of apparel for which she was once distinguished. She had gone so far back to the follies of fashionable life that a rigid enforcement of the rules of our wholesome discipline would have excluded her from the privileges of church membership. I saw her danger and apprized her of it, and after repeated admonitions, I informed her that unless she complied with the word of God and the rules of our church, I should be compelled to make her an example. At first she professed to be indifferent as to what disposition was made of her case. She could see no harm in wearing 'gold and costly array,' and if I thought best to expel her for so small an offence, I might do it.