Sabbath-day for the sake of pleasure, and entered a place of worship out of curiosity, but it pleased the Lord to make these a means of her salvation. After a period of anxiety, and doubt, and darkness, she obtained peace with God. She accepted Jesus, and realized forgiveness. She was converted. A change had passed over her soul. The ninth and eleventh chapters of the Epistle to the Romans were blessed by God's Spirit for the removal of her doubts and fears. Thus she expresses it : "There seeing salvation, not in its commencement only, but from first to last, to be entirely of grace, I was made free; and looking upon a once crucified, but now glorified Saviour, with no more power of my own than the praying thief had upon the cross, I also found peace." And she declares that "the high assurance that Christ was mine, and with Him 'all things,' has never been withdrawn; but in all I have been called to resist, or conquer, or endure, or suffer, it has been a light from God not to be obscured, an ocean of comfort from the rock of my strength.” The word of God was now her delight. She searched it, committed much of it to memory, and copied out texts on various subjects; by means of which her "hungering and thirsting soul was sustained." The light thus obtained could not shine under a bushel; the faith thus confident could not remain inoperative; the love thus felt could not be restrained within her own bosom. "I wished to give proof of my love," said she, "and desired the Lord to open privileges to me of serving my fellow-creatures, that haply I might, with the Bible in my hand, point others to those fountains of joy whence my own so largely flowed." Let us mark how this prayer was fulfilled, and how she devoted herself to the Lord in doing good to men. She first became a Sabbath-school teacher, and won some souls to God from among her scholars. This had been her aim, and rarely has a hope been disappointed when prayer and pains went hand in hand. The work-house was her next sphere of labour. In 1810 she began to visit the sick paupers, and was kindly received by all. The impure air of those close rooms was too much for her, and she was obliged to relinquish this labour of love; but her zeal soon discovered another. The children of the work-house had been long neglected; she therefore resolved to devote Monday afternoons to them, and in this received the assistance of the governors. One afternoon in the week was too little for the education of the young, so she got one of the paupers, who could teach, to devote his time to them on other days. John Stagg was not a religious man, nor a sober one, but so much impressed was he with Miss Martin's addresses to the children, that he was awakened and converted. So was the second schoolmaster, an old, wicked, and dishonest sailor. They both became men of God, and eminently useful among the young. What fruit was this of the pious dress-maker's work! Every stone she cast into the water made its widening circles. Every seed had its increase, and in 1838 Miss Martin had the happiness of seeing a qualified schoolmaster and mistress in the poorhouse. The jail was the great scene of Sarah Martin's philanthropic labours. In 1810, the same year in which she began her visits to the work-house, she felt a desire to read the Scriptures to the prisoners; and having got permission, continued to do so for twenty-four years. The way was opened in answer to prayer, and the work was owned by the divine blessing. It was an uncommon thing then to sympathize with and care for criminals, and to take an interest in their souls. Miss Martin had to break the ground for herself, and to do it alone. What courage, patience, and perse G verance must that attempt have cost her! But she did it cheerfully, and prospered. "For the first few months," she says, "I only made a short visit to read the Scriptures to the prisoners; but desiring more time to instruct them in reading and writing, I soon thought it right to give up a day in the week from dress-making, by which I earned my living, to serve the prisoners." "Can you afford so much as this?" said one to a woman liberal from her poverty. No," said she, "I cannot afford it, but I can sacrifice it." Thus Sarah Martin acted, for the love of Christ constrained her. After three years' solitary toil, a lady offered to give her wages for a second day in the prison, which was timidly accepted. In 1841 the magistrates voted her £12 a-year, as she was devoting all her time to the work. This, with the interest of between two and three hundred pounds, was all her support, yet she gladly continued in her arduous undertaking. She taught the prisoners to read and write, and encouraged them in occupations of industry. She made them commit passages of Scripture daily to memory, and for many years maintained a religious service on the Lord's day. In the latter exercise she read the liturgy, and a discourse of her own composition suited to the prisoners. Some of these addresses are preserved in her Memoir, and will well repay a perusal. They are full of doctrine, well arranged and powerfully applied. How many outcasts may be found in the "many mansions of the house of the Father," as the fruits of these words of grace! She watched over liberated prisoners, aiding them in obtaining employment and good lodgings, and otherwise benefiting them. She kept a "Liberated Prisoners' Book," which attests her success, notwithstanding many disappointments. Her labours were so abundant and beneficial that Captain Williams, the inspector of prisons, noticed them frequently in his reports to Parliament. She kept accurate accounts of all she did, of the sums she received and their appropriation. Nor did she weary in her well-doing, till the Master said, in August 1843, after a long period of severe suffering "Servant of God, well done! Rest from thy loved employ; During her many labours she did not neglect her own soul. She kept a "Scripture Place-book in daily use," in which she wrote meditations on the word of God, and which attest how carefully she cultivated her own vineyard. She grew in spirituality as she laboured for Christ, and found it true that "Teaching we learn, and giving we receive." In her useful life, and in her funeral sermon which she prepared, and wished the chaplain to read to the prisoners, she has shown what a delicate, hard-working sempstress can do for the good of souls. The reader may be employed daily with her needle-she may be unthought of and unheeded; but if a true believer in the Saviour and a worker in his cause, she cannot be without an open reward at last. "Go, labour on! 'tis not for nought; All earthly loss is heavenly gain! Men heed thee not, men praise thee not,- "Go, labour on! enough, enough, CHAPTER IX. ELIZABETH GOW, THE DOMESTIC SERVANT. "Who bestowed much labour on us."-Rox. xvi. 6. "Who sweeps a room as for Thy law, Makes that and the action fine." DOMESTIC servants are a very numerous class of the community, and occupy a position at once important and influential. They are intimately connected with the families whom they serve, and have much in their power to make them happy or uncomfortable. In these days many complaints are made of servants,-of their unfaithfulness, their selfishness, their pride, and their vices. When every one murmurs, there must be something wrong, though it is to be expected that the blame has more sides than one. There have been, however, many worthy and useful domestic servants; and the same grace that adorned those of bygone time can qualify the thousands who wait upon ourselves. 'Example is better than precept," and notices of those who were faithful, and now inherit the promises," may be serviceable in leading many more to "go and do likewise.” In the Bible there are some notable instances. The Son of God was a SERVANT,-the archetype of all the class. And because of his fidelity and devotion to his Lord, he is now the Lord over all the Father's house. ELIEZER OF DAMASCUS was Abraham's servant, and profited so much by the good example of his master, as to know and love the Lord for himself. He prospered in his service by prayer and diligence, and has his name embalmed in the records of the church. DEBORAH, the old nurse of Rebekah, was so well |