pain My medical attendant says it is useless to take the arm off, for I am hurt inwardly, and mortally. I thank God he has restored to me my senses; and although the agony I endure is at the present time very great, yet while I remember that my Saviour endured more for me, every murmuring thought is still, and I feel the happy power to say, "Not my will but thine be done."

W.-Oh dear! oh dear! what shall I do? My heart sinks within me, as David's did for Jonathan.

C. Listen to a dying man, and remember his words. Treasure up in your heart all the promises of God, for they are precious. My dear friend, this was the greatest trial of my faith I ever had in all my life; for as soon as reason returned, (for it was lost for a time,) Satan came and endeavoured to make use of it, by saying there was no God in heaven, for it was very plain if there was, he would not have allowed such an accident to happen to me, especially as I was returning from doing an act of charity. But thrice blessed be his holy name! he did not allow the trial to last long; for, like my dear Redeemer in his agony, I cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and I felt assured that he would never entirely forsake, but ever be a present help in time of need.

W. I feel so nervous! so surprised! that the whole appears to me like a dream.

C.-Ah! my friend. It is no dream. It is stern reality. When I told you the other evening that the world receded and disappeared, that was but a dream; and that part of it which referred to the passing away of all created things will be shortly realised by me.

W.-Your wife, it appears, believed it would!

C. She did; and it now seems to me that God can foreshow to the mind if he pleases, by voice or by vision, what he is about to perform. He can give a warning in some way, but to me it was not then applied. I had no idea this would happen. W. Of course. God knew it would happen?

C.-Undoubtedly he did; but my God did not cause it to happen, although he allowed it. I feel happy in him, resigned to his will, and thankful he has permitted me to live until my design was accomplished.

W.-What design?

C. My life's design; but I cannot explain,-it would be too much for me.

W.—I am afraid you do yourself no good by talking; it must increase your pain.

C.-It does, indeed; but while I have life I will speak to the praise of him who has not forsaken me, and never did

or will, but has given me strength, faith, hope, joy, and love in abundance; he, the Holy Ghost, brought to my remembrance the Saviour, and the bank-notes were handed to me and cashed so fast that I felt myself quite rich all of a sudden; whereas, only a few minutes before, I had felt myself quite poor and destitute; and I have got a store of them laid by for you, collected at various times, and if you will open that Bible, you will find them all in a cluster, written on several sheets of paper.

W. I perceive they are the promises of God to which you refer; but what a quantity?

C.-Yes; enough to make myriads of men rich for ever and ever! (when God cashes them). I should now like you to read me some of them, for they comfort me under my affliction, and it will enable me to rest awhile.

W. I will do so. Psalm 32nd, 1st verse, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." 2 Corinthians, 5th chapter, 18, 19 verses, "All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." Romans, 9th chapter, 26th verse, "And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people, there shall they be called the children of the living God." Galatians, 4th chapter, 4th verse, "And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." 1 Timothy, 4th chapter, 8th verse, "Godliness is profitable unto all things; having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

C.-I would much rather you read to me the promises more immediately suitable to my present condition, for in every condition of life there is appropriate comfort to be found in that most blessed book, whether it be in prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, and especially in all kinds of trouble. You will find them at the latter end of the list; some things are there which I trust will be blessed to me while I listen.

W. Here is something about confidence-Hebrews, 10th chapter, 35th verse, "Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Jeremiah, 31st chapter, 12th verse, "I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Psalm 20, 24th verse, "He hath not

despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him, but when I cried unto him he heard."

C.-Ah, my friend, those words you read last are just suited to my dear wife, for her trials will be harder than mine. But knowing her to be a gracious and virtuous woman, I can resign her without doubt or fear, being assured as I am, that the promises of God are abundant to such. I have found her price far above rubies-her own works praise her her mind is one with my own. O that all men were blessed with such a helpmeet! She has ever been a light to my path, for God has blessed her with much wisdom, and enabled her many times to instruct not only her children but her husband. She has many true earthly friends, sincere friends; I hope you will be another added to that number. I have heard it said that, "blessed is the man or woman who hath many friends; and more blessed are they who have no need of friends." But I would ask, was there ever a person who needed not a friend? 'Tis true my wife hath a heavenly friend—who I know will give her earthly friends, and woe be to him who troubleth her. For God has said, Exodus 22nd chapter, 22nd verse, "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." Deuteronomy, 10th chapter, 18th verse, "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and the widow." Jeremiah, 49th chapter, 11th verse, "Leave thy fatherless children, Í will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me." The knowledge of those promises of God, is a great consolation to me, for I know he will care for them. I feel I am dying! Oh, that I could hear the voice of my Saviour say, "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise"-" for me to die is gain, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." I would rather be absent from the body and be present with the Lord :—but his will be done!

I

W.-You appear to be in great pain; do not talk so much, and I will read on. Listen. Psalm 86, 13th verse, "Great is thy mercy towards me; thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Romans, 5th chapter, 9th verse, "Much more being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." John, 3rd chapter, 15th verse, "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Revelations, 14th chapter, 13th verse, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their

works do follow them.” Psalm 49, 15th verse, "God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for he shall receive me.' 2 Corinthians, 1st chapter, 9th verse, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them who love him." Revelations, 2nd chapter, 10th verse, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Daniel, 12th chapter, 14th verse, "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Romans, 8th chapter, 18th verse, "The sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." 2 Corinthians, 4th chapter, 17th verse, "Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 1 John, 2nd chapter, 25th verse, "This is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." Psalm 23, 4th verse, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

C.-I will not trouble you to read any more; that last portion you read is quite enough for me, it is the last I shall present to him. Keep those precious jewels ever with you. You have not read to me the thousandth part of all his promises. I tell you again, there are more than sufficent banknotes to make rich all that ever breathed the breath of life. He says, "Be of good courage. Be glad in the Lord and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. I will be glad in the Lord and rejoice in his mercies, for he has considered my troubles, my heart doth rejoice in him, because I have trusted in his holy name. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble." Blessed be his holy name, for ever and ever.

W.-Oh, what a thing it is to be joyful in the Lord. I look at you smiling in the midst of sorrow, and feel astonished I gaze.

as

C.-I feel more delight than he who is about to take possession of an earthly inheritance-much more! O my Jesus! I long to see thee and be with thee for ever, where there is no mourning or repining, but where all is joy and assurance for Lord Jesus, come quickly.

ever.

W.-Ah! man is made to mourn.

C.-Don't believe such a statement.

W.-Why not? I have read that he was made to mourn. C.-Only one man was ever made to mourn, through whose grief, sorrow, pain and death, I shall inherit eternal But God made the rest of men to rejoice; he made a

life.

beautiful world, and gave them everything to make them happy in it, and a promise of everlasting bliss in the world to come, if they performed his commandments. I ask you, why a man in this world, who has great abundance of wealth, which, of course, will purchase every kind of worldly delight —why, I ask, is that man unhappy? For thousands are, who possess more than their share.

W.-I cannot answer that question, because there are so many causes of trouble and misery. Some are miserable to see their neighbours better off than themselves in any way; and many are miserable and know not why they should be. C.-Ah, my friend, it is their study.

W.—What? to make themselves miserable.

C.-Yes. And everybody about them if they could.
W.-You mean Satan himself?

C.-No, I mean men and women.

There are thousands of such; and, blessed be God, there are thousands upon thousands of happy souls who make it their study to be happy, and to do all that lays in their power to make others the same. I will now ask you, which is the wise man? and which the fool?

W.-It's too easy a question to need an answer. I must certainly be thankful I am not of the latter sort. You appear

to be in very great pain, therefore I will cease talking, and call again to morrow evening.

C.-Ah! 'tis true, my friend. I am in great pain, but it will soon be over. Before you go you shall take the Sacrament with me.

W.—I never did such a thing in

my life.

C. It will then be your first and my last. You will find bread and wine in the cupboard; break me off a small piece of bread, and put some wine into the cup. Remember as long as you live, He who died that mortals might live, He who sweat blood in his agony, who lingered on the cross, whose side was pierced, and from the wound came forth blood and water, He, the blessed mediator between God and man, He who was both God and man in one person instituted this ordinance, and solemnly said, "When ye do this, ye do it in remembrance of me.' You must think at the time you are eating the bread, that his body was bruised for you; when you drink the wine think of him who bled and died for you; remember also that as your body cannot live without food and drink, neither can you live spiritually without the body and blood of Christ, for he is the meat and drink of all redeemed souls; they must live upon him—they do live upon him. We must remember also that he will again come, and to me, I hope, quickly. This Sacrament is a great enjoyment