But of all the subjects of his conversation with me there was none that he dwelt upon with more frequency and earnestness, than the importance of family-prayer, particularly as to the manner in which it should be conducted; often saying, "Depend upon it, there is just so much religion in a family, as there is of seriousness and reality in family-prayer." Upon one occasion about this time, on my noticing the joy and peace which some one who had just left the room possessed, he replied, "Yes, he is an old servant of God; it is His usual dealing in grace as in providence, The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Oh, live near to God; make much of family-prayer, be punctual in the time for it; do not let it be a form, pray always for a blessing on it: read the Bible, read it much; do not let little portions satisfy you; oh, that I had read it more!"

I have stated his uniform calmness during sickness, and constant resignation of all he most loved into God's hands. I remember now one exception, and but one. Speaking to me of his children, he said, with evident agitation, "They are too young to know any thing of me, but I think Mason will remember me;" and then sank upon the pillow with a burst of grief, and for a few moments completely overcome. He afterwards lay still, evidently in prayer: in a very short time he had regained his usual calmness; the struggle was over, and I never again witnessed a repetition of it. I mention these things, as evidences of his habitually exercising himself to attain calmness of spirit.

One day a person coming to see my husband, who always allowed himself in the use of a certain phraseology, too much in vogue amongst some Christians, with long, unmeaning, and frequent quotations of Scripture; he spoke to me, and, in reference to this visitor, and to my children, said with unusual earnestness, "Oh, do keep them from a talking religion; may God keep them from it!"

His reverence for the Holy Scriptures was very great, and evidenced itself by the solemnity of manner which always accompanied any allusion to them. He seldom made direct quotations in conversation, except to very near relatives. In his last illness there were some passages he dwelt upon with peculiar delight: a few I more particularly remember.-His servants shall serve him. "Ah!" he said, "that is what they would do here, and they cannot, but they shall serve Him.” And under any trying circumstances, he often recurred to the expression, "His servants shall serve Him." I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God. "Oh! think what it is to stand in the presence of God; how wonderful! think of it often!"-Referring to that expression of David's, in 2 Samuel vii. 19, And is this the manner of man, O Lord God? on being relieved from pain, or receiving peculiar comfort and refreshment in prayer, when acquainting me with it, he would sometimes add, "And this for me! Ah, this is indeed not after the manner of men, but it is after the manner of God."-Once on my taking up the Bible, and turning to the passage,

G

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God; I read it to my husband, and then stopped. Go on," he said, "why do you stop there?" On reading to the end of the next verse, and again being silent, "Go on,' he repeated, "you destroy the sense of those verses; they are connected." On reading, as desired, to the end of the thirtieth verse, he took up the next paragraph, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?-and added, "I have often wondered why some good men should sometimes seem afraid to go on with a verse, and not rather be afraid of disjointing the sense."-Upon reading some remarks in a work of Christian biography, touching our knowledge of each other in heaven, he said, he could not conceive how any Christian could ever raise a doubt upon that subject, or be at the pains to prove it. Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory and joy; "but," he added, "it is to me quite evident from the whole scope of the Scriptures, and therefore useless to enter into particulars." As the point seemed perfectly settled in his own mind, and as existing circumstances made all reference to it painful, if not wrong, I never again recurred to it. But you know he was not used to form a decided judgment upon any subject without much consideration. He spoke of the fifth verse of the first chapter of Jeremiah as a great encouragement to ministers, and was in the habit when in health of stirring up himself by a reference to the seven

teenth verse of the same chapter; Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

In a letter formerly sent to you, I mentioned his deep feeling for the salvation of souls. I here quote a passage from one written by me to Mr. Grinfield; of which, unknown to me at the time, my sister took a copy. "If a clergyman would feel the value of every soul committed to his charge, he might in some degree learn it by the dying bed of one so eminently taught to feel it, as my most dear husband once was. When his spirits were at any time sinking, I used to speak of the few to whom his labours were blessed, and of one especially who had entered the heavenly rest, and would doubtless be a part of his crown of rejoicing: he could only say, with such a look as I can never describe, ‘I thank God; it is mercy indeed; what an honour for me; how unworthy am I; but I trust it is a token He has pardoned me, He has accepted

me.'

My husband had been told, that in the adjoining house a family were mourning over one of their number, a son and a brother, who had long lain in dying circumstances; but all of which family were ignorant of our source of consolation, and, though thinking, reading people, were strangers to God. It was on the Sunday or two previous to his death, that he heard this; and, truly mourning for them, he desired me to bring Scott's Essays, and take the pen,

whilst he dictated a short but very impressive letter, stating his own near views of eternity, urging the fleeing to a Saviour, and requesting as a personal favour to himself, that they would accept and read the accompanying little volume. On sending in the letter, he said, in reference to its being Sunday, "You know I have very little time in which to attempt anything; I think this cannot be unsuitable to the day."

As an instance of what I mentioned formerly, that he was not under any excitation, but remarkably comprehensive and calm in his views of every duty in all its bearings,—a strong appeal came either from some individual or some public charity for help, and knowing he never turned from such, I gave and read it to my husband. He replied, "I have done with these things now; I am no judge; what I give is not now my own, you must consider it ;"-and with tears added, "I hope, when I could think, I have not been quite inattentive to the wants of others, especially of God's servants."

I ought not to omit here, that he seldom found any refreshment from medicine skilfully administered, or food of any delicate kind, or those various alleviations of sickness which, through the goodness of God, we were able to procure; but he urged upon me to remember the privilege and duty of endeavouring to relieve the sufferings of sickness in others; and especially of endeavouring to administer to the wants of any of the servants of God. For himself, as I wrote at the time to a friend, "I never heard a