Our

breast of the Christian Pastor, disappear, that we had need be careful before we pronounce upon deathbed conversions. But the case of Christian friend was not of this nature. She evidently sought the Lord whilst in health, and there fore it was that her last illness and death were attended with peculiar peace and consolation. It gave me great pleasure to hear, that when she was last summer gleaning in the fields, if she heard any of the children use improper language, she would reprove them in the most affectionate manner, and lay before them, in truly scriptural terms, the great sin they were guilty of: and upon this subject such was her acuteness of feeling-or spiritual perception, shall we call it ?-that, some little time before she died, a Christian friend called upon her one day, and found her alone, and in a great state of exhaustion and agitation: upon inquiring into the cause of all this, she found that her little brother was playing at the door with some improper companions; and she had been exerting herself to call him in, lest he should learn the wicked habit of swearing. The person observed to me, that she thinks she shall never forget the distress manifested in her coun

tenance.

What an evidence this, Mr. Editor, of the spiritual state of this child's mind! Like a young convert, her zeal prompted her to warn all of the evils of sin, but particularly those who were the nearest and dearest to her. I would, sir, that all your juvenile readers were as anxious on this point as our departed friend. It is surprising the good effects produced by young Christians affectionately reproving one another, and warning each other of sin, as the young are generally more influenced by the advice and good example of those of their own age than by that of older persons; and when elder people see this tender susceptibility in the young, this

fear and abhorrence of sin, they feel ashamed to do those things against which a child has protested as being sinful.

There was another trait in the character of this child of grace, which evidenced the spiritual state of her mind, even in the day of her health. Thus, when she returned home in the evening from the Sunday school, she would take her little brother and sister aside, and question them upon the things which they had heard explained, from the chapter which had been the subject of that evening's méditation. In this manner did she endeavour to improve the remainder of the Sabbath evening. Uponone of these occasions she spoke to them of the great sin of lying, and earnestly besought them to avoid it, by impressing upon their tender minds the Divine displeasure manifested against this sin in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, and entreated them to get by heart the hymn upon this subject, in Dr. Watts's Divine Songs for children. It may likewise be sufficient to shew the devout state of her mind, to notice that she was often asking her mother questions upon Divine subjects; particularly, what was regeneration, or the new-birth; stating that she herself thought it meant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I mention these things in particular, because they took place previously to her last illness, when she could have had no immediate expectations of death; and I am fully convinced that her religion partook in no respect of that fear of death, which it pleases God, in some instances, to sanctify to the conversion and salvation of souls; and in this respect we cannot but admire and adore the sovereignty of Divine grace. In what various ways it pleases God to bring his people to an acquaintance with himself! Some shall be brought to him by great terror of mind, by severe affliction, by temporal judgments, by the fear

of death. In the case of this child, none of these methods were employed, but her mind seems to have been gradually wrought upon; like the morning light, which" shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

With respect to her last illness, she was first confined to her room in the beginning of last November; and then it was that her recovery was thought very precarious, if not impossible. In this stage of her progress several Christian friends, perceiving that there appeared great acquiescence in the Divine will, endeavoured to ascertain whether under these promising appearances there were not concealed some strong desires after life; but I believe that all their inquiries were answered by her uniformly expressing her desire to be with Christ, rather than abide in this wicked world. In one so young, such views of the emptiness and vanity of the world, and of the preciousness and value of the Saviour, were very remarkable, and, of course, are wholly to be attributed to the religious state of her mind. In this respect

her illness and death really resembled the case of the aged Christian, more than of the child; there was so much solidity and weight in her expressions, and apparently such knowledge and ripeness in her views of man's depravity, and the Saviour's all-sufficiency. Indeed, her acquiescence in the Divine will, and her equanimity of mind under many painful and trying circumstances (well known to the writer), were surprising in one so young. There was nothing of that impatience and fretfulness generally manifested by children upon like occasions. I have no doubt that much of this arose from a constitutional tendency: she was naturally a very amiable child, of a mild and yielding temper, and had scarcely ever caused her parents the least uneasiness but still, though nature did much in the formation of her character, yet grace did more: nature might make her character amiable and pleasing whilst in health, but it must be grace which makes the sick couch a scene of loveliness and moral beauty. J. R.

(To be continued.)

MONTGOMERY.

THERE can be no intimate communion between God and the soul where there is not a spirit of prayer: in the same proportion that we possess the one do we earnestly seek after the other. The most decided proof of our being truly converted is, when we can adopt the language of the Psalmist, and say, "My soul followeth hard after God." Where this spiritual thirst exists, the same evidence will be manifested as in the case of Saul of Tarsus after the gracious change wrought in him; "Behold, he prayeth." It is by the Spirit of adoption that we are enabled to cry Abba, Father; and as soon as we are able to utter this cry, however feeble, like children who can just recognise a father's love and lisp their desires, with the same readiness shall we present our numerous wants and petitions at a Throne of Grace, in humble assurance of their being accepted. O that we may cry more earnestly for the influences of the Holy Spirit! It is through the Spirit that we have access to the Father, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh; and it is one of the most delightful communications a Christian can be favoured with on this side eternity: it is a sweet pledge of future and everlasting communion with the Father of spirits. No intercourse so pleasing: no earthly friendship, however ardent and sincere, can afford any comfort compared to what we derive from this heavenly source, the communications of Divine love to the soul, and the secret aspirations of the heart towards God. So long as we continue in this world of sin and sorrow, we shall not only stand in need of prayer, but have much to pray for; and though our heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask, yet he has enjoined it as a duty, Ask, and ye shall receive:"" For all these things I will be inquired of, saith

the Lord." The more we feel our own weakness and insufficiency, the more shall we know how to appreciate the privilege of drawing near to God at a Throne of Grace, and the more diligent shall we be found in the exercise. There are many passages in the word of God which will afford us abundant encouragement to prayer; and it is impossible to read attentively the 18th chapter of Luke's Gospel without being struck at the infinite condescension of our blessed Saviour to the blind man who sat by the way side begging his gracious words were, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" shewing in a particular manner his readiness to attend to his request. for a greater degree of faith, to enable us to go with more boldness to this compassionate Saviour, beseeching him to remove the natural blindness from our hearts, that we may more fully comprehend the things belonging to our everlasting peace!

There are various instances recorded in the word of God to prove the efficacy of ejaculatory prayer; and these afford ample encouragement to weak believers: and to such as may not be able to express their petitions with fluency, it is a mercy that we are not heard for our much speaking. It is to be feared there are many whose graces do not keep pace with their gifts; but the prayer of the contrite sinner, however short, is accepted. What language can be more concise than the poor Publican's, "God be merciful to me a sinner?" and, again, the Canaanitish woman, "Lord help me?" These petitions were presented in faith; and, as such, they were graciously heard and accepted. So will it be with us in like circumstances; for we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; He ever liveth at the right hand of God to make intercession for us.