"Your little grand-daughter has often been the subject of my thoughts since you spoke of her so affectionately. Will you tell the dear child I am assured that Jesus loves her as well as the little ones whom He took in His arms, and like the little sufferer, whose life I send her, she must tell Him when she is in pain, and ask Him to comfort her. "Your visit will be one of my pleasant recollections, and frequent and earnest supplications that you may be satisfied with favor, and filled with the blessing of the Lord,' will ascend from the heart of her who is, dear sir, with high regard, most respectfully yours." From Mr. Clay to Miss Allibone. "With perfect truth and candor I say, that I have rarely, if ever, made a visit to any individual in my life, that afforded me higher satisfaction than that which I derived from seeing you. Your physical misfortunes, your resignation to the will of our Maker, your gentle and intelligent countenance, and your interesting conversation, all combined to give to the short interview I had with you a thrilling interest. I have oftentimes thought of it, and have frequently described the touching scene to my friends. * * * "Relieved as I am from the cares, the trouble, and the responsibility of public life, I hope to profit by retirement in making those preparations for another and better world, which are enjoined upon us by our highest and eternal interests. In these, your example of perfect submission and complete obedience will be constantly remembered by me with great benefit and advantage. "Accept for yourself my prayer, that He who has enabled you so calmly and cheerfully to bear up under the heavy privations you suffer, may continue His watch ful care over you to the end, and that we may both hereafter meet in the regions of eternal bliss. "I am truly and faithfully your friend and obedient servant, "H. CLAY." To Hon. Henry Clay. "Nov. 3, 1848. "I denied myself the gratification of giving an immediate reply to your kind and most welcome letter, respected sir, because I was aware that the communications of your numerous friends present an almost incessant demand upon your attention; but I did not design to be so very considerate as to have allowed more than three months to pass away, unaccompanied by an assurance of my warm affection. "The debility which often renders me unable to use a mechanical medium for the conveyance of thought, does not deprive me of the consolation of expressing my regard for those I love, by imploring for them the blessing of the Lord which maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with it ;' and for you, dear sir, very frequent and earnest prayers have come into my heart. I do hope that God will grant you a double portion of His Spirit. I should not feel satisfied if any ordinary measures of contrition, faith, love and holy obedience were yours. We are commanded to 'covet the best gifts;' and it is not presumptuous to expect much from God, if the merits of our Redeemer be our only plea. Nor would I forget to thank Him for the spiritual illumination He has granted you, nor for the desire you express to consecrate the retirement you are at last permitted to enjoy, to the interests of another and a better world.' "It is, indeed, a better world, dear Mr. Clay. How delightful will it be to be released for ever from 'every day's report of wrong and outrage, with which earth is filled.' What blessedness to wor ship God without the intrusion of one emotion opposed to the holiness of His law, or a single wandering thought, and to satisfy the longings of the Spirit after knowledge, excellence and love by the contemplation of them all! To receive all this happiness is the free gift of a Saviour's love, and to attune a harp of thanksgiving with Heaven-taught melody, ever swelling louder and clearer notes of adoration as the past and present become more fully understood, and the future hastens on with brightening glory, -oh! this will be to us a better world! "It has often occurred to me that whilst the believer rejoices that 'to die is gain,' he ought also to remember that to live is Christ.' I wish to understand the full meaning of this expression. Experience has taught me something of its import, but I hope to learn new lessons every day. One of our Homilies tells us Faith is the hand that puts on Christ;' and St. Paul assures us, 'Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' "How can I, who am so sinful and so suffering, be sufficiently thankful that this glorious Redeemer is the portion of my soul! Mine has been a situation of extraordinary necessity, and the fulness of Jesus has been its supply. When my earthly friends sit down and weep, because their unwearied attentions cannot remove the firm pressure of disease, my Saviour draws me still more closely into the Sanctuary of His presence, and my wearied spirit reposes in peace. "But there is an amputation of the heart, caused by the removal of the most cherished objects of affection, which requires the still more tender offices of Him who came to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;' and in this sorrow, also, I have been greatly comforted. If I had never known bereavement, I could not so fully sympathize with the deep afflictions to which your letter alludes. I am well assured that your susceptibilities of suffering are unusually acute; and I pray that the consolations of the Holy Spirit, and the sanctified uses of adversity may be given you in proportionate measure. It may be also that the dispensations which have caused so painful a void in your family circle, may be the avenues through which many heavenly blessings may be conveyed to its surviving members. It may be your delightful privilege to teach them to consecrate the energy they have inherited from their earthly parent to the glory of their Father in Heaven and whilst I condole with my country, because she will be deprived of your official services at a time when they seem so greatly needed, I do indeed most heartily congratulate your children and grand-children, that they are permitted to surround you in the evening of your days. "Permit me to say that I do not think you suit the times, dear sir. Expediency has become the watchword of our nation; and your political vestments have never assumed a chameleon hue, nor has the cloak of concealment been wrapped around them. Oh! that we had many Daniels to confess that we and our fathers have sinned, and done wickedly, and to implore that national judgments may be averted. "The beautiful petition of the Lord's Prayer, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven,' is most appropriate at this time of danger; and how effectually will its fulfilment hush into silence the stormy elements around us! Is it not an unspeakable privilege to be the subject of 'a kingdom which cannot be moved'? I am truly gratified to learn that the health of your little grand-daughter has so greatly improved, for I feel a deep interest in all to whom you are allied. I shall not soon forget the terms of affection with which you made me acquainted with the character of Mrs. Clay, to whom you will please present my respectful regards. "I think I will be so selfish as to tell you how delighted I should be to receive another letter from Ashland." * * CHAPTER XIX. 1848-1849. A Comforter of the Sorrowing-Letters of Sympathy to the Bereaved: to an afflicted little Boy-Conversation - Contentment - Letters to Dr. N.: to R. S. on Discouragements - Alarm at Tractarian Errors - Letter referring thereto - Letters of Friendship — Pastoral Visits -- - Letter to one lately baptized - Importance of a high Standard in Religion Letters to the Young. MISS Allibone was, to a remarkable extent, a comforter of the afflicted. Sorrow of any kind was an appeal to which she invariably responded. She forgot her own sufferings in hearing of and administering to others' woes, or only so far remembered them as to make them a plea for attempting to comfort others with the consolation wherewith she was herself comforted of God. To those within the circle of her own extensive connection, and still wider acquaintance, she was a proved and affectionate helper in the dark and sorrowful day. But her sympathy was by no means limited to them. The stricken and suffering became at once the objects of her fervent intercession and loving concern. She longed to tell the children of sorrow of the unfailing mercies of her covenant God, and the effectual sympathy of the great High Priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. She felt that the consolations of her religion were adequate to every emergency of mortal grief. She had fully tested them. From her own experience she knew their value. She was perfectly assured that every mourner, who would look where she looked for support and relief, would be assisted and blessed. Her expressions of sympathy were not words of course, but the utterance of strong, living, acting faith. She believed, and therefore she spake. And the lessons of trust and submission which she inculcated, enforced by her own beautiful example, were clothed with power, and went at once to the heart. She spake and acted as one who dwelt in the secret place of the Almighty, to whom the Most High was a Father and Friend, and to whom the heavenly world was a near and glorious reality. And therefore she was eminently successful in leading the afflicted to the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Instances of the tenderness, delicacy and fidelity, with which she approached those upon whom rested God's chastening hand, are given in the letters immediately following: To a Relative. "GREENWOOD, March, 1848. "My dear I would not attempt this letter, if it were not my privilege to ask our Father in Heaven to teach me what to say to you; for I know too much of the sacredness of sorrow to suppose that ordinary words of sympathy would be consoling to one who has suffered so deeply as yourself. I am not surprised that you realize that your domestic circle is deprived of one of its brightest attractions. It was not a mother's eye alone that could discover the loveliness of one so gentle, so unaffected and so affectionate. I can sympathize with your bereavement much more deeply than I could have done if I had never seen you together. "Oh, my dear friend, bring your wounded heart to Jesus. He can bind it up. He can soothe into 'a great calm' the storm which now swells your bosom. He will not reproach you because you sought Him not in the hour of prosperity: and if you will bring to Him the sins of your whole life, He will wash them in His blood and cover you with a robe of righteousness. Will you not read with much prayer the 53d chapter of Isaiah, and see if He who was 'a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,' is not just such a Saviour as you need. "If it were possible, I should be glad to hasten to you, that I might tell you of the preciousness of this merciful Redeemer. I should love to make one of your household band, now that you are |