had before received from her friendan application which doubtless met with an immediate, and cheerful attention.

From the Husband of the same.

Cd, April 18, 1780.

Dear sister Waters,

-Through the goodness and long suffering of God towards us, we continue to the present time. My dear wife remains under very weak and languishing circumstances; an inward fever constantly attending her. Though able to sit up more or less almost every day, she has not walked across the room for four or five months. We have lately had the advice of a very skilful physician, who gives us great encouragement to hope that she may yet be raised, could we procure such things for her, as her condition requires. He particularly recommends raisins and wine.*

Wine, it is well known, is often recommended now, by our most eminent physicians. But how few in the lower walks of life, are able to procure this article; especially, the kind, and quality, of it, suitable for medicinal

For these we are emboldened to make application to you, with others of our dear friends, under our afflicted and much straitened circumstances; encouraged by your former acts of kindness and benevolence, for which we desire renewedly to express our warmest sense of gratitude both to God, and you. Should it please God to incline your heart once more to minister to our ne

purposes. How many valuable lives, valuable to their families, if not to society at large; are daily terminated, for want of that, which might so easily be spared from the cellars, and the tables, of the affluent. The writer is happy in an acquaintance with some, who of this, as well as of the other "good things," with which a bountiful Providence has loaded them, are "ready to distribute, wfiling to communicate." But he fears there are many more, whose lusts will be found in the day of retribution to have consumed, what ought to have" refreshed the bowels of the poor." Could those" who tare ry long at the wine," accompany the physician, and the clergyman. in their professional visits to the abodes of sickness and want, methinks their eye would affect their heart, and their heart would impel them more frequently and cheerfully to spare for the benefit of others, what is now productive only of injury, to themselves.

cessities, so much the greater will be your reward; for what is done to any of his poor members, though never so unworthy, he takes as done to himself.

-I have been confined at home

myself, by sickness, five or six weeks,

the winter past.

Your sincere friend,

and loving brother,

J. B.

But Mrs. Waters was not satisfied with those common acts of beneficence, which the necessities of the poor imperiously demand; and which it were as unpopular, as unchristian to withhold; she was "ready to every good work,' however rare or unexpected, and however justifiable the omission of it might have been in the view of the world, by which, either the temporal, or the eternal interests of others could be advanced. An instance to this purpose, is worthy of being mentioned here. Her chaise, so long as she was able to keep one, was frequently, if not uniformly, employed on the sabbath, in carrying to, and from the

house of God, those who had no con veyance of their own; and who must otherwise have remained at home; or gone out to the hazard of their health and lives. "Often," says one, "have I known it thoroughly drenched in this service." Doubtless she was considered by many, as subjecting herself in this way, to a very needless expense; and none would have thought her under any obligation to incur it. But human

opinion was not her standard of action, nor human applause the object after which she aspired. The word of God was the rule, and the glory of God, the end, of her conduct. She remembered it is said, "whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so to them." And knowing that nothing could have been more grateful to her, than to have been taken the sanctuary, had she been unable to have gone thither at her own cost; she rejoiced in the opportunity of imparting the like satisfaction to her indigent friends.

Not only her property, however, but her personal services likewise, were ever at command. The house of mourning,

and the chamber of sickness, were her frequent resort. Blessed with a firm constitution, and great muscular vigour, she was able to do, and to endure, far more than is common to her sex. And it may be affirmed without exaggeration, that she went, both in labor, and privation, to the utmost of her strength-sitting up night after night with the sick; and putting her hand to any service, however menial, by which a pain might be mitigated, or a wish indulged. Having also an unusual measure of natural fortitude, conspiring with Christian resolution and firmness; her presence was much in requisition, both by the physician, and the patient, where any difficult or dangerous operation was to be performed.*

The spiritual welfare of others, however, excited her deepest solicitude, and called forth her most strenuous and unremitted exertions. Knowing herself by bitter experience, "the wormwood and the gall" of sin-unrepented and unpardoned sin, she felt the tenderest concern

* See obituary notice at the end of the book.