Ah! whither shall I turn in this sad hour?

To whom shall I betake me! O my God,

Thou art my hope! and though thine hand should slay,
Yet will I trust thee! Well thy servant knows

Thy Word divine is faithfulness and truth.
Thou wilt not leave me in the vale of death,

But gently lead me, by thy gracious hand,

To that blest world where suffering is no more!"

Martha had been employed in doing good while in health, but she now lamented that she had not been more diligent. Her sun went down before it was yet noon, but it was in an unclouded sky, and gave a sweet hope

"Of rising in brighter array."

She now spent much of her time in devotion and reading the Scriptures. The peace of God flowed into her soul. Her whole temper and feelings became mellowed and subdued. She was ripening for heaven. The thought of death she endeavoured to render familiar to her mind, and to wean her affections from the friends she so ardently loved. was fast approaching. Towards the middle of November her disease assumed a most alarming aspect. But her mind was calm and composed. Her experience, in view of the last enemy, is thus narrated by her affectionate biographer :—

666

Her end

"O, brother!' she said, 'it is so different to behold death near us and at a distance-so very different! The longest life I now find is too short to prepare to die; after all, the circumstances are so new and so trying!'

'Oh that I could give the views I now have to others! Those views which a death-bed furnishes of the nature of personal piety of the awfulness of eternity-of the importance of salvation by Jesus Christ-and of the value of reli

gion in early life-especially in early life! Oh it is most important for the work to be begun in our early days, before we are brought into the conflict of death! Religion, if really found on a dying bed, must have so much to contend with that is quite uncongenial with itself, as must make it very awful! The mind must be often in terrible doubt and darkness! If it is not so, it must be by an extraordinary act of grace, which, though it may occur, we have no right to expect.

I trust I know in whom I have believed; but all that I have known and experienced of the Saviour's grace, I have sometimes found only just enough to sustain and encourage me. Last night the agonies of the body were so great as, for a time, to affect the mind-my feet seemed quivering as I stood on the brink of Jordan! but the Lord strengthened me! Blessed be his name!-I know him-he will not forsake me he will be with me in the swellings of Jordan!'

On observing my distress, she readily changed the course of her remarks, and with a mixture of confidence and tenderness, continued, 'What a mercy that we have lived together so happily-that we have understood each other so wellthat we have had such opportunities of forming an affection which will never be broken-no, brother, never be broken! I feel assured that our love shall be continued and perfected in heaven. We shall only be separated as for a moment, and then-then we shall meet before the throne never to part!' Her thoughts dwelt upon the assurance with delight.

'Oh, how little have I done for the cause of my Saviour! I did hope my life would have been spared to be useful to

others; but Jehovah has appointed otherwise, and I bow to his will! I cannot now serve Him by my life; I pray that I may yet do so by my death. O that my death may be made eminently useful-that it may constrain many to work while it is called to-day-that it may quicken many to thoughtfulness and prayer!

And, perhaps, in that world to which I am going I may be useful as well as happy. I shall be, my Saviour says, as the angels in heaven; and they are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation. Dear brother,' said she, touched by the thought, 'perhaps, perhaps it may still be my privilege to hover about your ways, to contribute in some mode or other to your comfort and your usefulness. When I am gone, oh do not think of me as afar off, but as near to you, as watching over you, as soon to join again for ever!

O, my dear, dear brother, do not weep-do not weep-that will break my heart! If you knew all I have suffered, you would earnestly pray for my dismissal-indeed you would. I would not advert to any thing that should give you a moment's pain; but I am desirous that you should know that I am happy-yes, notwithstanding all I suffer-that I am happy-that religion makes me so--that God does support me. This will be a comfort to you at a future time.

Oh, all of you should join with me in praising the Saviour! I have been so afraid of dishonouring him-I hope he has kept me from this! Blessed be his name!—so good -80 kind—infinitely faithful-to me-the meanest and least in his family! O God! O my God!'

In the course of the day she arranged all her worldly concerns and bade a last farewell to her brother's family. The following morning she expected would bring her parents. They arrived. The meeting was deeply affecting.

Her mother first hastened to her presence with fixed purposes of surpressing her feelings while there, but scarcely had her affectionate eye glanced on her changed countenance, before her sorrows overcame her, and she fled from her chamber to weep at liberty, exclaiming, 'It's a lost case! Oh, it is a lost case! my child, my child!'

Her father followed. He stood before her in speechless misery. An effort was made to speak, but his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth, and the lips quivered with excitement. She seized his hand and kissed it, and broke the silence which it was so hard to endure. 'Father, my dear father! It has pleased the great Disposer of all events, that you should commit my spirit into his hands. It is well! Lay it not to heart, father! It is the will of God! and his will is good and wise! I shall be taken the earlier from a world of sin and misery. We are both, I trust, bound to one place, and it matters very little, father, which of us arrives first. I shall be waiting to welcome you to the habitation of God, and our separation will be but for a moment—a moment, or eternity is forgot! My dearest father, do not fret! We must not fret! Come, let us take our harps from the willows, and to the praise of grace divine bid every string-every string-yes, every string awake!'

Her father still stood before her, with features burdened

with woe; he could not at once overcome the shock he had received. Martha was moved by it.

He turned a troubled look upon her.

'Could you pray with me, dearest father?

He shook his head in speechless agony.

She saw that she had asked too much at this moment, and that he would best recover himself by retiring from her chamber, which he also did.

'Now,' she said, alluding to these interviews with her parents, 'the bitterness of death is past! Lord, I have waited for thy salvation. Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' Her thoughts were soon restored to rest on their chosen centre, and they were evidently wrapt in joyful anticipations of eternal blessedness! 'O heaven, heaven, heaven,!' she exclaimed, 'O the moment that will succeed to death!'

Her pains increasing on her, she repeated the following lines, to which she was partial, with a most gentle and resigned voice :

'I would not contend with thy will,
Whatever that will may decree;
But oh may each trial I feel,
Unite me more firmly to Thee!

Tis better to suffer and die

Beneath thy compassionate rod,
Than find my enjoyment run high,

But never have Thee for my God.'

The last moments of Martha were those of a dying Christian. She had committed her soul into the hands of her Redeemer, and she lifted up her eyes with joy, knowing that her redemption was fast drawing nigh. Some of her