enabled to view, the certain, steady, solemn approach of death, with an undismayed heart; and not only so, but with an ardent desire to depart, that she might be with her Saviour and her God. "Oh! (said she, at different times, within the week before her death,) Oh, that the blessed hour were come! Oh, that it might be this night! or this moment, if it were the will of God; for then I shall be happy, happy, happy."

Two or three days before she died, when her physician was feeling her pulse, she asked him, how her pulse seemed to beat. On his answering, On his answering, "Quite strong yet ;" she expressed in her countenance much disappointment, and said; "I had hoped, that you could have told me, that it was quite weak and low." Nothing indeed seemed to afford her greater satisfaction and pleasure, than the intimation, that her time would be short; and her greatest fear seemed to be, that she might not be able to hold out in the exercise of becoming patience, till her change should come. On the day before she died, she asked me, whether I thought it would be wrong to pray for her speedy dismission. I observed to her, that it might perhaps be lawful thus to pray, provided it be with submission to the will of God, and a disposition to wait for his appointed time. And on my inquiring, whether she really wished to go and leave all her friends, to whom she had been so strongly and tenderly attached here? she replied; "Oh, yes; what are they all to me; or what can any of them do for me now? None of you know what I suffer; and much less can you give me any relief: Oh," said she, pointing to her breast, "I now feel the foretaste of death here." I then asked her, whether she still felt her heart fixed, trusting in her best friend, her Almighty and

blessed Saviour, from whom alone her help could come, and her mind at peace trusting in him, believing that he would be with her, as her very present help, and all-sufficient Saviour, till he would give her the dismission for which she was longing; and receive her to be with himself for ever? she answered, "Yes! yes! 1 have no doubt: but I am too weak to talk ;" and wav ing her hand, she desired me to leave her.

Within a few days before her death, when very restless under a burning fever, she said to the kind friends, whose looks and actions manifested the readiest disposi tion to sooth and relieve her, as far as lay in their power; "Ah, I am indeed suffering much, much more than any of you can imagine: but much rather would I suffer all that I endure on this bed of sickness, than be abroad in the world, in health, sinning against my God; for I do think that I love him sincerely." In short, her submission to his will, her approbation of all his methods of dealing with her, whether afflicting or comforting; and her longing desire to be with him, in a state of complete holiness, as well as of perfect happiness, manifested in the most satisfactory manner, that she was indeed, born of the spirit; made a new creature in Christ, and graciously prepared for that eternal glory in the presence of God, to which her heart so ardently aspired. And when, at length, the blessed hour of her departure arrived, few perhaps ever realized more fully the precious import of those elegant, expressive lines, of the pious Watts.

Jesus can make a dying bed,
Feel soft as downy pillows are;

While on his breast I lean my head,

And breathe my life out sweetly there.

Oh, what grace was this! How astonishing; how admirable the change which it effects in the views and feelings of nature! How wonderfully are its power and influence displayed, in divesting life, naturally so sweet to mortals, of all its endearing charms; in disarming the horrid monster death, of its sting; and in relieving the soul from all the dread, which it once felt, in the view of a change of worlds, and in spreading the brightest glories, over the prospects of eternity! Surely the consideration of this grace, is well adapted to minister the most grateful, consoling reflections, amidst all our tender, affecting recollections, of dear departed friends, who have been the happy subjects of it; and to engage us to pray and hope, that it may in like manner, be made sufficient for us, to furnish us thoroughly for all the duties and trials of life, and to make us more than conquerors over the last enemy death, and to carry us triumphantly to glory!

TO DR. F.

ISAAC S. KEITH.

MY DEAR SIR,

CHARLESTON, AUGUST 6, 1803.

YOUR very acceptable letter of two sheets folio, under date the 25th ult. I received through the hands of Mr. J. F. on the 2d inst. I have always found pleasure, and frequently improvement, in the perusal of your letters. Those which I have lately received from you, have been peculiarly interesting and pleasing; not only as they discover your own heart,

warmly engaged in religion, and your efforts, zealously employed for the purpose of securing the blessings of it to others; but as they furnish a great deal of information, which leaves no room to doubt, that the great cause which you and others are labouring to support and promote, is now succeeding and prospering in B. in a manner truly remarkable, and worthy of peculiar attention. Let Zion's King have all the glory of his own work; and let the hearts of his friends be encouraged, and their hands strengthened, to undertake and accomplish whatever they find, and are called to do, for the glory of his name, and the advancement of his interests, within the sphere of their influence. The account which you give of a number of the youth among the first families in your community, being awakened to the serious consideration of the concerns of their souls, and engaged in seeking an interest in the Redeemer, is truly pleasing intelligence. They are the rising hope of the church. May many of them be raised up, and prepared, as the subjects of grace, and heirs of salvation, to be ornaments of a christian profession, the defenders and supporters of the gospel, and the honored instruments of transmitting its blessings to the generations which shall succeed them. The instance, which you mention, of the young lady, educated in this city, and now at home in B. having received her first religious impressions under one of my sermons, affords me a new occasion for admiring the grace of God, which employs the agency of the most unworthy of his servants, for usefulness to those whom he is pleased to bless. If any good is done by my ministry, I surely know enough of myself, to constrain me to say, "Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name give glo

ry, for thy mercy and thy truth's sake." The thought that my poor labours should be in any degree successful, in promoting the best, the immortal interests of my fellow sinners, is one of the most pleasing and delightful, that my heart can cherish. It is so, on account of the happiness which I feel in contributing to the happiness of others; and as the name of the Lord is manifestly and peculiarly magnified and glorified, when good is done, by such an instrumentality as mine. Let the God of all grace, and the only Saviour be exalted! and may I know and keep my place in the deepest humiliation at his feet! But whether I should allow myself to be much comforted or encouraged by this case, may in some measure depend on the event of this young lady's present serious concern. May He who has awakened it by his good spirit, by means of his word, bring it forward to the most desirable and happy issue, in that repentance which is unto life, not to be repented of; and that faith in the Redeemer, which will be to the saving of the soul; and not suffer it to prove like the morning cloud, and the early dew, soon passing away!

I feel a very high gratification, in hearing, not only by your letter, but also through others which have been received here, that my young friend Mr. P. is so favourably received at B. and that in his public services, and in his private intercourse with the people, he has conciliated general esteem, and promises so fairly to be useful in the most important of all concerns, those of religion, I was well persuaded, that as his piety, talents, and worthy character, became more and more unfolded, in the course of an increasing acquaintance, he would rise in the good opinion of the religious, and the seriously disposed. May his blessed Lord and Master in