that it is quickly found bringing forth good fruit. Manasseh was a thorn by nature, and Paul was a thistle, but, when grafted into the living Vine, they both bore an abundance of fruit, through which means the change which had taken place in them could be clearly discerned by those amongst whom they lived, according to Christ's faithful words, "By their fruits ye shall know them; for do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?"

"Jesus, immutably the same,

Thou true and living Vine,
Around Thy all-supporting stem
My feeble arms I'd twine.
"I can do nothing without Thee;
My strength is wholly Thine;
Withered and barren should I be
If severed from the Vine.
"Quickened by Thee and kept alive,
Id flourish and bear fruit;
My life I'd from Thy sap derive,
My vigour from Thy root.
"Each moment watered by Thy care,

And fenced with power divine,
Fruit to eternal life would bear

The feeblest branch of Thine."

HOPEFUL.

SORROW SENT BY A MERCIFUL GOD.

A REAL INCIDENT.

A GENTLEMAN was one day travelling by a coach, which was likewise occupied by a middle-aged respectable-looking man, and a very young woman, dressed in widow's mourning, with a baby on her knee. The man had his face tied up, and appeared to be suffering great pain. After proceeding some little distance, the gentleman thus addressed his opposite companion-"I am sorry, sir, to see you so great a sufferer. I trust it is, however, some comfort to you to know that sorrow is not an accidental thing, but that it is sent for our good by a merciful God." "Merciful,' sir, do you call Him?" replied the man. "I used to think Him merciful, when I had my health and strength; but, since He has afflicted me with this dreadful tic doloreux, I think Him anything but merciful." Before the gentleman had time to answer, the young woman exclaimed, Oh, do not say so, sir! I used never to think of the mercy of God, when I had all worldly things to make me happy; but when He, at one sudden stroke, removed the delight of my eyes, and left me with this little infant, almost in penury, then I found Him to be a merciful God and a loving Father, and now I bless Him for my sorrows (Psa. cxix. 71; 2 Cor. iv. 17).

"THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD, AND THE POWER OF HIS CHRIST,"

MANIFESTED IN THE EXPERIENCE OF ELIZABETH SUSANNAH TURNER, WHO DIED FEBRUARY 14TH, 1828, AGED TWENTYTHREE YEARS.

(Continued from page 234.)

ABOUT a week after my daughter received this letter, it pleased God to apply a most precious passage of Scripture to her, which caused her to hope in His Word-a favour which she had never before experienced.

She

During her last illness, she informed me that she awoke on a Sabbath morning very miserable. She felt her mind influenced to request the Lord to favour her with a word from Himself that would relieve her distressed heart. said, "I have since thought it very singular that I should be led to make such a request, as I had never asked for such a thing before, nor did I then understand what a word spoken meant. In her memorandum-book we found a sweet account of the answer she received, of which the following is a copy:

"On Sunday, September 25th, went to hear Mr. Cheffins, but came away just as I went. I thought there never was one like me. I felt very miserable, and thought, if there really was any good thing in me, I should not be left destitute. However, I thought, if the Lord would give me a word, all would be well, but did not expect it. I felt unworthy. But, whilst at dinner, these words came with great sweetness, and a hope it would soon be fulfilled-'I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, and leadeth thee in the way that thou shouldst go.' 'Thy soul shall dwell at ease.' I felt it very sweet, and wished I could have got by myself, to pour out my heart to Him, but could not. It almost overcame me. I could eat no more dinner, but I had a rich repast. It made up for the morning. Oh, how great is His goodness! Oh, that I could love Him more! I hope I shall never forget the sweetness of it. There is none teacheth like Him. I think there could not have been a more suitable passage. Surely it was for me. But the devil tried hard to persuade me that I was not a child of God, and it came into my mind that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light; but then, I thought, he never would have brought such a sweet passage." She afterwards added, "But now I know it came from God, by the effects it produced."

In the same book is another memorandum :—

"Mr. Cheffins' text, September 1st, at Sleaford-'The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms'

(Deut. xxxiii. 27).

He was very sweet indeed, especially in his first prayer. He appeared to pray earnestly, and his petition just suited me. I thought I did long to be made wise unto salvation, but I wanted the Lord to manifest Himself more clearly to me. Oh, that He would put and keep His fear in my heart, that I may not depart from Him, and teach me to pray, is my chiefest and ardent wish and longing!"

On Wednesday morning, October 3rd, I met her at Thirsk. The first sight of her pale countenance made me apprehensive that she would not be long with me. For about a fortnight after her return home she appeared somewhat better, but from that time the cough increased, and the outward man gradually decayed, but the inward man was renewed. Her hope in the faithfulness of God to fulfil the promise before-mentioned was strengthened. I had several heart-satisfying conversations with her, and so had some of my friends, particularly Mr. Armytage, to whom she could open her mind more freely than to me. I also often found great liberty and earnestness in prayer with her. Indeed, she has remarked to her mother, "How singular it is that my dear father should be led out more sweetly in prayer for me than he was for either of the others!" Frequently, when my prayer was ended, she would embrace me most affectionately, and say, "Oh, my dear, dear father, you have sweetly expressed the very desires of my heart!" Once, when I was particularly favoured, and indulged with such sweet freedom and holy familiarity that I could converse and plead with God my Saviour as a man with his friend, I could not refrain from weeping. My heart was so filled with a sense of His exceeding great kindness to me and mine. My daughter also shed tears of joy, and, as soon as she could speak, very emphatically said, "The Lord fulfil all thy petitions."

But to return, for I have a little digressed as to time. On Saturday, December 29th, I left to go to Helmsley. Being obliged to leave very early, I bade farewell to her the night before, thinking she might be asleep in the morning. Just before I went, I stepped softly into her room, and found her awake. I had not time to go to prayer with her, which I afterwards heard very much grieved her. However, it pleased God soon to make up for it. Feeling very low, she had a desire to pray, but it was suggested to her that she did not know how to pray. She said it came upon her mind that Jesus, when He was upon earth, taught His disciples to pray, and that He would teach her if she asked Him. Upon this she knelt down, when God granted her such a view and sense of His undeserved goodness as to cause her to break out in praises and thanksgivings. Several friends visited her on the Sabbath afternoon, and were astonished and delighted to see her smiling countenance, and to hear her free and

happy conversation, both of which were so contrary to her usual manner. Indeed, as one of the friends who had been favoured on the Saturday with the spirit of prayer in her behalf told me, "The oil of joy made her face shine." My friends, who were in the adjoining room at tea, returned thanks by singing, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," &c., and, weak as my daughter was, she was overheard to sing it too.

I came home on Tuesday evening. My wife met me at the door, and with tears said, "Oh, my dear, I have had both a trying and a sweet time since you went! I thought my dear Betsy would have left me, and that you would not have seen her in this world again. On Saturday morning, she suddenly broke out with these words, 'Oh, bless Him! Oh, praise Him! Oh, He is good! Who is a God like unto our God?'" &c. I instantly ran up stairs, for she was gone to bed, and the moment she saw me she exclaimed, "Oh, father, praise Him, praise Him! I have had such a sweet visit since you have been gone, and I shall have another sweeter yet, for this is but a foretaste!" She then gave me a pleasing account of her experience-how low she had been brought, that she thought she must perish. Then, speaking with a sweet smile upon her face, she said, "But He is indeed the Friend of sinners. Oh, father, what a family we are-how highly favoured! What mercy hath God shown us! and His mercy endureth for ever.' I used to wish to be out of this world, to be rid of trouble; but now I want to go that I may be with Him. 'Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity?' What a vile creature I have been! I have left the house on purpose to avoid the company of your spiritual friends; and though I knew I was wrong, yet my enmity was so great I could not bear them. But oh, how I love them now! How sweet is their conversation!" She would have said more, but, perceiving she was exhausting herself too much, I requested her to leave off talking for the present, and endeavour to get some rest, as it was late. The savour of this visit continued several days, and then she sank very low.

One evening, January 3rd, a short time after tea, she had a hysteric fit. When a little revived she whispered, "His presence will do, and nothing else." This reached my heart, and my tongue was loosed. I spoke to her for a considerable time, till her countenance brightened, and she spoke sweetly of the unchangeableness of His love and mercy, adding, "Oh, I want to love and praise Him more; but the Lord will enable me. Saturday was a sweet day, ever to be remembered; but I shall have a sweeter yet. The Lord give me faith and patience to wait His time. Oh, my father, how I do love you! I never loved you so before, and our love will last for ever." This was a precious evening to me.

For some days after this visit her soul was held in life, and her mind kept spiritual, and then she gradually sank into a carnal, stupid, careless, peevish, discontented state, which was a grief to me. I soon felt myself so fearfully shut up that both prayer and conversation became a burden to me. At length the enemy was permitted to raise suspicion in my mind respecting her state altogether, which harassed me sorely. This was the case with me several times during her illness, but the painful feelings for two or three days were always succeeded by a sweet opening out between us, which riveted her stronger than ever both in my faith and affection. In one of those precious conversations, I told her plainly that the lifeless, discontented, complaining state she had been in, had almost deprived me of both spiritual and natural love to her. She replied, "I am glad to hear you say so, father, for it has been just the same with me. I assure you, when I have been in those wretched states, and have heard your feet in the passage, that I have wished I had been in bed and asleep, having no desire to see you. But as soon as the Lord quickens me, and makes my mind spiritual, I feel such a love to you that I cannot express. The simplicity and earnestness with which these words were spoken warmed my heart. I flew to her, and we embraced most affectionately. I told her I believed the devil was trying to separate us, but that we were in possession of that charity which never faileth. I spoke of the nature and effects of that grace, and we were both very happy.

"

On Monday, January 28th, the last day she could sit up, she was indulged with another sweet visit. Her face shone, her eyes sparkled, and her language was triumphant. The most of the day was spent in praising God for His unmerited goodness to her, and repeating several passages of Scripture, and the whole or parts of choice hymns, particularly the following

"Oh, the dear glories of the place

Where Christ unveils His lovely face!
Ten thousand seraphs at His feet
Feed on the bliss His charms emit."

"The time will soon come when my journey will end,
And then face to face I shall see my dear Friend;

For ever enjoy His sweet presence on high,

And dwell in the Rock that is higher than I.'"

"While I draw this fleeting breath,

When my eye-strings break in dea'h,

After repeating the first two lines of this verse, she said, "I shall see my dear Mary Ann, but what will that be, compared with the sight of Jesus ?"