the Gospel. What mother, what Christian, in view of this subject, must not often breathe forth the prayer, Thy kingdom come? Our Association have also resolved to spend the last Wednesday in every year, exclusively in prayer, for ourselves, our own little ones, the children of the members of other Maternal Associations, and the offspring of all God's professing people. We hope you remember us, and ours, in your prayers. Oh that our united supplications may come up as incense before the mercy seat; that they may, through the great Intercessor, be heard in heaven, and speedi-, ly answered on earth, to the praise of God's glorious grace! Amen and amen. May 7. Oh my God! thou knowest the earnest, the, at times, almost heart-breaking, desires I feel for the conversion of my chidren. What shall I do, that this end may be obtained? Lord, teach me what thou requirest of me in this particular! Especially, make me scrupulously watchful over my own example. Oh God! do I not choose thee for their portion, above all other portions? And wilt thou not give me as I have desired? O hasten, hasten the time of their union, by a living faith, to the Lord Jesus Christ! TO MISS > OF BOSTON. Boston, June 1, 1819. My dear I mentioned the subject of our morning's conversation to my husband, whose constitutional reserve on all subjects, and invariable caution on such as this, rendered it proper that I should do so. As his judgment is much better than mine, and as I felt afflicted in your affliction, I could not forbear informing you, that he thinks great uneasiness you feel. you have no cause for the The whole course of your conduct in the affair, he thinks censurable in no. respect. We all fall into errors and inadvertencies in this world; and it is as necessary that we should learn the painful lessons of our ignorance of what is right, and of our great impotence in doing it, as other lessons more pleasant. The great thing is, to be made better by them all. You see, my dear girl, that innocent, or at least, comparatively innocent, actions, sometimes subject us to great censure; and that, from persons whom we dearly love. The only way, therefore, to enjoy uniform quiet is, to endeavour, as much as possible, to cease from man, to study what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, and aim to do it. If we have his approbation, let us strive to view other things as comparatively unimportant. If we aim to prefer his opinion above that of all others, we shall not give him this supremacy in vain. For those that honour him, he will honour. June 14. How many perplexing circumstances are continually occurring in this world! In managing a family, how much happens to pain and wound one! I think it is my humble desire to be as a wise legislator to my little province; to enact as few statutes as possible, and those judicious and easy to be observed; to see that all things are done at the proper time, and in the proper way, so far as practicable, that our family may be a quiet, well-organized, regular family; to attend to these necessary duties with a meek and quiet spirit ; to manifest in all my deportment before my household, much of the meekness of heavenly wisdom. But, how difficult is all this! How often do my most conscientious regulations meet with the disapprobation of my domes tics! How often are my best motives misapprehended! And, what is worse than all the rest, how often do these things trouble and discompose me, and make me seri ously unhappy. I think my heavenly Father knows, that I have a sincere desire to be faithful over my house; that it is my earnest endeavour to walk before it as a Christian ought to walk. Oh! to be more faithful, and less disheartened at difficulties! Oh that these little drive me to a better resting place than this troubles may world! July 19. Bridgewater. My husband set out this morning on a journey for his health, which has been very feeble of late. He will probably go as far as Montreal. And I have come with my eldest child, to spend a part, or all, of the time of his absence, here. I shall have leisure for reading, and meditation, and prayer. Nothing will be wanting to enable me to make some progress heavenward, unless, through my perverseness, it be a heart to improve. Lord, enable me by thy grace to fulfil the resolutions I have made, to spend the time in thy fear and service! August 3. We had yesterday, one of the most tre→ mendous and awful thunder-storms I ever witnessed. It seemed as if all the elements were mingling and melting together. It had been preceded by a few days of most oppressive heat. Four barns were struck in this parish; a meeting-house in the adjacent one, and four men who were working in it laid senseless, but revived soon enough to extinguish the flames which had communicated to the shavings. I felt quiet and composed, for I realized that Jehovah was riding upon the tempest and directing the storm. I was sensible that the danger was great, and my mind was rendered solemn. But I felt chiefly desirous, that the awful pro vidence might be a quickening one to me; that when the Son of man does come, I may be found ready to meet him. TO A FRIEND AT A. Bridgewater, August 13, 1819. OUR sufferings are measured out, and our times appointed, by ONE who knows infinitely well how to dispense and order all. It is sweet to feel safe in his hands. And if the children of God, we are safe; and our Father's hand will not inflict one unnecessary stroke. But, oh! the obduracy of these hearts; the almost irresistible disposition existing in us to depart from God! These are the things which render so many stripes and rebukes necessary for us. And shall we not be willing that God should employ the means which he sees to be best adapted to deliver us from sin? My health has improved surprisingly since I have been in the country. I only want more grace, a strong and practical faith, and that love to Christ which shall make me hate every thing which interferes with my duty to him. August 20. How high is the Christian's destination! How elevated are the motives from which he professes to act! How exalted is the end he professes to have in view above the little things of this world! And yet trifles, light as the small dust of the balance, often interpose themselves between him and his ultimate object, and hinder and clog his way to heaven. He feels, perhaps, their insignificance. He laments the weakness or perversion of mind, which alone could invest them with such power. But, while he acknowledges the littleness of his enemy, he finds himself constantly assailed and frequently vanquished by it. Alas! too often is this the case with me. Careful and troubled about many things which are not worth a thought! Oh! why do I thus spend my money for that which is not bread, and my labour for that which satisfieth not? TO A SISTER-IN-LAW AT N. L. Bridgewater, August 25, 1819. It would have given me great pleasure, my dear sister, to have spent some weeks with you this summer, had I not been unwilling to add to your cares, and had I been able to take such a journey. But the goodness of God to me is very apparent in so disposing my circumstances, at the time of my dear husband's departure, as to prevent my thinking of such a visit this season. I could not have borne the fatigue of the journey; and the reports of yellow fever in Boston, so vague as they would have reached me at New London, would have occasioned me inexpressible uneasiness. I have not been without my anxieties here. I brought S* with me when I came out. About a fortnight ago, I heard that S. A.† had been sick, and sent for her; and yesterday I learnt that little M.‡ was seized on Saturday night, so violently as to endanger her life. Through the mercy of God, the dear child has recovered; but I expect to send for her also to-morrow. I felt last night, as if I had so much more reason to be thankful to my heavenly Father for sparing the life of the child, than to be grieved because he did lay his hand upon her, that the intelligence of her sickness was made very light to me. Upon every fresh trial, I feel more and more astonished at my own declensions, which make the stroke necessary; and at the patience of God, which will continue to undertake, by mercies and judgments, the preparation of so unmeet a subject, for heaven. It is easy to talk about the vanity and folly of earthly attachments *Her oldest child. + Her third child. Her youngest child at that time. K |