dients. I strove, I worked hard, I prayed; and at length proposed to the members of my family to disperse, and learn some little business, and I would allow each what I could. Great affliction now sat on every face. Tears were shed in plenty. They alleged, "Till you can get rid of this place, you must live here. If you leave it empty, the house will be spoiled, and that will injure the sale; and we know not what to do, nor how to turn. After being twenty years with you, (said one,) how strange will a new situation appear?-And I, (said another,) after eighteen years? And after being twelve years together, (said some others,) how hard it is to part!" It was a most painful time; and I saw there was no way, but first to sell the place and then disperse. But now a door seemed to open-a gentleman sent me word that he would buy the place, stock, lease, and all together. He was a man both of fortune and of honour, and really wished to help me out of my difficulties. The price which he offered would bring me through all, and leave me a good income. Now I began to look up, and to form a plan for my future life, how to settle myself, and dispose of each member of my family. I gave an account of every particular, and the bargain was in part made. But, alas! our wisdom is folly !-He took a fever, and died in a few days! To add to my difficulties, just at this time my brother wrote me word, that it would be throwing away the Layton-stone estate to sell it with so long a lease upon it; and that it could not with any propriety be done. I now saw but one way-to advertise Cross-hall, and sell it for what I could; and paying that away as far as it would go, strive yearly to lessen the remaining part of the debt by my income: reserving only fifty pounds per year to live on, and out of it to help my friends. But I recollected, that I might not live long enough thus to pay the debt by my income. I had still a strong confidence in a promise given to me before I went to Bath--that no one should lose any thing by me; yet I thought it was required of me to do every thing in my power towards it. I then proposed to myself to keep only twenty pounds per year. Nay, I thought, how can I have a right even to twenty? Justice is before mercy. They must all shift for themselves, and I will do the same. I may perhaps find some little business by which life may be sustained, till my affairs take a favourable turn. It is true nobody calls in their money, nor seems to have a fear concerning it; yet, it is my duty to take the more care for them, because of their confidence in me. It may be supposed, as I was daily striving to part with the place, and expecting to turn out, that my thoughts frequently were occupied on what way of life I should choose, as most conducive to the glory of God; and during this season, the Lord did teach me many lessons of poverty and resignation. It seemed to me no manner of life could be disagreeable, if I had but a prospect of having no debts. One day as I was standing at a window musing on this subject, I saw a poor man driving some asses laden with sand, by which he gained his bread. As I looked on him, a spring of satisfaction ran through my mind, and I thought,-I am perfectly willing to take up the business of that man. If I preserve unsold one of the freehold cottages, the asses might graze on the common, and I could follow them with something to sell. There were but few trades which my conscience would suffer me to follow ; and my abilities were equal to still fewer. But to any thing in the whole world would I turn, that was not sinful, rather than remain in debt. I do not mean that I decided to act thus; but so conformed was my mind to poverty at this time, that the thought of even that employment, as it now glanced through it, gave me a real pleasure. However I had been with my relations concerning my affairs hitherto, I determined to conceal all personal wants; for if I voluntarily gave up open my income, for the payment of my debts, I did not see it to be just to live on theirs; and this would not have been difficult, as I had no relation that lived within two hundred miles. Sometimes it appeared to me quite clear, that Mr. Fletcher was the friend God would raise up for me. He was now much recovered, and about to return to England, however, I feared to lay any stress on that; but while thinking on it, I received a letter from a friend, informing me, that Mr. Fletcher had settled abroad, and proposed to see England no more. This was a false report, he never had such a thought; but as it came from an intimate friend, I had reason to believe it. Thus was I cut off from the prospect of any human help! but I kept to my old word, "My soul wait thou upon God, from Him cometh my salvation." My heart was much oppressed. I had not advertised the place, because some advised me not, saying it was the way rather to hurt the sale; nor did any one so much as inquire after it, though my mind was well known. I could now only stand still, for I knew not which way to go. During this suspense, conversing one day with my friend Mr.***, he said, "Indeed I am at a loss what to do for you. I thought to have helped you greatly by the continuance of the farm; but, alas! I wish I had suffered you to advertise and sell it for any thing six years ago; and then could have done it. It is now too late. you The nation is engaged in wars: you would now sell it for a trifle. I consulted some friends the other day, who all agree, that separate from the stock, you must not expect above six hundred pounds for the whole place. You are ruined madam !—You withstand the order of God. My fortune is enough for you and me.—But you cannot see in my light.-May the Lord stand by you!--But I cannot think of a partnership any longer, the blame would fall on me !" The seventh of June It was now the summer of 1781. in that year, I entered into my fourteenth year in Yorkshire. I had all along an impression, that about that season something would open. One day as I was walking up a narrow lane which had a stile at the top, I saw a flock of sheep before me. The shepherd had hard work to drive them on; they seemed determined to turn again. I thought, well they may, for there is no gate, no way through; what can he wish them to do? He forced them along, however, with dogs and sticks. I said in my mind, "These sheep are like me, drove on in a narrow path without any way to get out." I followed at a distance, expecting every moment they would turn back upon me, --when all at once they began to run, and I discovered a new made gate into a spacious field of turnips. In a minute they were dispersed, and fell to their full pasture with great delight. Faith whispered to my heart,-so shall a door open before you in the appointed time. That passage of the Psalmist was much impressed on my mind at this time,-"The rod of the wicked shall not always remain in the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth his hand to iniquity. And frequently those words also came with power, The days shall be shortened; by which I rather thought, some change would take place in the beginning of the last year of my two apprenticeships in Yorkshire. And now the seventh of June came; and I was almost constrained to say, Thou hast not delivered thy people at all. There was no appearance of any such thing; all was dark. "All was with sable terror hung." I have continued the narrative unbroken, through this cloudy and dark day. All was conflict respecting the creatures; but the Lord tempered the evil with occa; sional intimations that, "Behind a frowning providence, -Mrs. Fletcher was thus kept from "growing weary in well doing," and enabled to "believe in the faithfulness of Him who knoweth the way of the righteous :” and who "in every temptation maketh a way for their escape. The pious reader will wish to know her walk with the Lord, during this evil day. An extract from her journal will give a clear view of this; and it will be seen, that although this blessed woman was thus cast down, she was not forsaken; though perplexed, she was not, for a moment, -in despair; she still “looked, not at the things that are seen, and which are temporal, but at the things which are not seen, and eternal." She felt her weakness; yea, her "She utter helplessness; yet she was still confident. stood still to see the salvation of God. Ed. Sunday, December, 1772. My health is yet far from good. My head is much affected, and it is often presented to my mind, that I shall have an apoplexy. It is a painful sensation. Sudden death does not appear to me as pleasant. I seem not to have my evidence clear for heaven. “Lord, spare me a little that I may recover my strength, before I go hence and am no more seen.' My nerves are very weak, and I feel a lowness which I think affects my mind as to spiritual things; but I feel a determination, whether weak or strong, to rise early and to visit the sick. Lord, give me to make the most of my short time! and, O Jesus! give me power to keep my mind always fixed on thyself! January 16, 1773. Waked early, and was going to rise, but unprofitable thoughts crowded into my mind. My distressing situation, as to outward things, seemed an intolerable burden, and I was betrayed into thinking of useless plans and schemes, how to avoid this (as |