it is no more of works in whole or in part, otherwise grace is no more grace. This grace-glorifying witness of the Holy Ghost pours contempt upon every notion of all manner and kinds of works, as a condition, reason, or cause, of a poor sinner being saved.

In this poor silly one we see nature and grace standing distinct, and that they do not nor can they mingle in one iota. Grace is in no one thing dependent upon nature. Nature does not receive grace, nor can nature receive it, nor shut it out from taking up its abode in the soul, nor thrust it out when it has taken possession. Grace does not

live in the life of nature, nor from it, neither does it grow in the growth of nature, nor decay in the decay of nature. Grace, or the new man of grace, is not perfect, or imperfect, according as nature may be possessed or deficient in some of its properties, perfections, or faculties, or that those faculties have not ripened to maturity.

About six years gone by, the writer was sent for to visit this dear creature, and he found her confined to her bed, where she continued for many months in great distress. Thinking one night that she was dying, she called her family individually by name, and said, "Shall I go to my God? shall I go to my God?" This was the question which she proposed and repeated again and again; and no doubt but this was very distressing to all who were then present and heard her; but, knowing that the Lord would do His own work, and be His own Witness, they held their peace.

For the last two years, at times, she was very restless; but as the time of her departure drew near, she became wonderfully patient and composed. About a fortnight before her death, one of her sisters, when helping her into bed, found she was weeping, and, asking why she wept, the answer was, "I am afraid I shall not go to my God, I have been so wicked." Sure I am that the antagonism of those painful fears which this sufferer felt warring in her soul were true evidence of that eternal life which the Good Shepherd has promised to give to all the sheep given to Him by His Father, to whom He will say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

At another time, one of her sisters was speaking words of sympathy because of her sufferings; and her reply was, "The Lord won't put upon me more than I can bear; He puts it on a little and a little, then He removes it, then puts it on again." Oh, how solemn it was to sit and listen to her artless statements! nor was there one complaining word uttered to pain the feelings of them who heard her.

The last interview which I had with her, although in much pain, yet the moment I sat down she began to speak of her Jesus. Then, after pausing a little, she repeated a number of verses of a long hymn until she came to the last verse, and one word in that verse she could not remember, and, thinking her sister could help her out, she turned upon the bed, and said, "Ann, what is the word? Do tell me; I want to finish it." But her sister, not being able to help her, I found this was a grief to her, and she said, "The word is gone;" and, after pausing a few moments she spoke, with a smile, saying, "Ah, it is gone; but it will come again." To me it was strange to hear her speak like one whose intellect was grown to maturity, and had long been conversant with the rolling and re-rolling of matters in her thoughts, whereas intellectually, in worldly things, she was nearly an idiot. She then said, "I am going to my good home that I told you I was going unto. Ah," she said, "my Father is there; yes,

and Jesus is there." After pausing for a little time to rest herself, she looked up with a smile, and said, "Yes; and His blood is there, and I shall be there.

The Sunday night before her death, as if the time of her death had been from the Lord impressed upon her heart, she said to her younger sister, "You must not go home to-night; you must stay with me." In the night, because of her pain, she was very restless. Oh," she said, "when will my Jesus come? when will my Jesus come?"

Some minutes before she departed she looked round upon the family, and, seeing them weeping, she said, "Don't cry for me; I shall not die." Then, as if new strength for the triumph had been given to her from above, she said, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ?" And, when she had repeated these words twice, with a smile, her ransomed spirit left the earthly tabernacle, and went to that good home she had talked about and longed for.

TRIUMPHANT IN A DYING HOUR.

[The following particulars of the illness and departure of a dear young disciple will be read with interest. We heard much of the case at the time, and regret that a letter written by Mrs. Vinall, bearing upon it, has been mislaid. When personally seated at the Church of Waterloo, a few months ago, as a hearer, the facts touching this case came vividly to the mind. But a short time before, the subject of it was seated, as we are informed, in or near the pew we then occupied. His cough was distressing, in his anxiety to listen to the truths then proclaimed; the next Sabbath he was at home with Jesus, and for ever freed from all sin, suffering, and sorrow. We could but contemplate his blessed exchange with satisfaction, and at least a measure of envy.-ED.]

My dear brother had been a great sufferer the last two years of his life, being in a hopeless state of decline; and although we were satisfied as to his eternal safety, yet he could not himself often realize that comfort which he so much desired; and having a natural fear of death, he rather clung to life, and entertained hopes of his recovery, which to his friends was trying, feeling, indeed, that his days on earth were few. He suffered much from extreme weakness, but did not keep his bed at all, with the exception of the last day he spent on earth. He was visited several times during his illness by the Rev. J. C. Martin and others, whose visits he much enjoyed, and although he could not say a great deal, yet once or twice, after Mr. Martin's visits, he expressed himself as having felt so much more comfortable, and said his conversation seemed just suited to him: he felt he must indeed rest on God's promises; although he was longing for greater manifestations of God's love, and said he thought, if ever he had the joy some had felt, he never should doubt his safety again. He spent much of last summer from home, hoping change of air might benefit him; and when at Chichester and Lewes, he was visited by the Rev. E. Vinall, to whom he was much attached, and to whom, on one occasion especially, he appeared able to open his mind rather freely; for he was always so afraid of deceiving another, and saying more than he really felt, consequently, it was sometimes difficult to get at his feelings. Mr. Vinall states that he always felt most

hopeful of him, but since that visit he had felt knit to him, feeling certain. he was an heir of everlasting bliss. He expressed a great desire to love Jesus more, and tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke. In consequence of his great weakness, he was so afraid of getting irritable and impatient, and used often to say to his dear wife, "Do pray for me, dear; pray that this irritability and impatience may be subdued." During his illness, when feeling extra weak, he would often say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." He frequently quoted these lines:

"Though I have Him oft forgot,

His lovingkindness changes not;"

remarking that he should never forget the comfort they were to him once, when very ill with bronchitis. After being at Lewes, he went to Norwood for a few weeks; and, during the time he was visiting there, hearing that Mr. Warburton was expected to preach at Forest Hill, he had a great wish to hear him, and although he had been unable to attend a place of worship for some time previous, yet he had strength given him, according to his desire, to ride over to hear him. He was much encouraged and blessed under the sermon. The text that Mr. Warburton was led to speak from was taken from Zech. xiii. 9: "They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God." He expressed having felt much comforted whilst hearing him, and how thankful he was that he had been able to go. His life was spared only just four weeks from that Sunday. On the 30th of August, he left Norwood for Waterloo, from whence it was ordained of God he should not return alive. He was not, however, materially worse until about eighteen hours before his death, although his dear wife noticed that his breathing appeared worse; but on Saturday night, the 14th of September, after he retired, his breathing evidently became much more difficult, and at midnight a doctor was called in, who considered his end drawing near. He continued very ill during the night, and early on Sunday morning his friends were sent for, and also the doctor who usually attended him; and when he arrived, he immediately saw that his end was fast approaching.

After this he appeared to rally a little, but in a short time we found him getting much worse; and his dear wife said to him (wishing to break the subject of death to him), "Where do you think you are going to, dear?" And he immediately turned to her and said, "Do you think, then, I am dying?" When she replied, "Well, dear, you are very ill; are you happy?" to which he replied, "Yes, that I am;" and when asked if he felt the presence of Jesus, or some question of that kind, he said, "I want a greater manifestation; but Jesus is my only hope, and I want no other;" and he quoted,

"A debtor to mercy alone,

Of covenant mercy I sing."

His breathing was very distressing, and he said several times, "I wish it were all over; it is so bad, dying.' He was propped up in the bed, and leaning on his wife's arms. When she asked him if he knew whose arms he was leaning on, he replied, "Yes; my dear wife's ;" and another said, "You are in better arms than that, dear;" when he raised his dear hands as high as he could, and said with great emphasis, "Yes; in the arms of Jesus;" and then, "Happy!" his breath being so short he could speak

very little, but it seemed much relieved before he died. And when his speech and sight were almost gone, he said as distinctly as he was able, "Happy!" This was almost his last word on earth, and he shortly after sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, on Sunday afternoon, September 15th, 1867, deeply regretted by his loving family, and a large circle of friends, by whom he was sincerely and deservedly beloved. And that fear of death to which he was naturally subjected seemed entirely taken away, and dying strength was indeed given at the dying day. A sermon was preached in reference to his death, at Providence Chapel, Chichester, on Monday evening, September 23rd, by the Rev. E. Vinall, from 2 Chron. xxxiv. 28: "Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace." And, most singular to say, that, although quite unknown to the preacher, it was the very same text that Mr. Vinall's father preached from in the same chapel on the occasion of the death of the grandfather of the subject of this short account. And may that faithful sermon prove a blessing to many who heard it!

"GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS."

LAM. iii. 23.

College, Ely, Cambs.

THE blessed Lord has been with me and my dear wife for good in a preeminent manner during the past seven years, while striving to make known His good will and way to poor lost sinners on the plains of

British India.

We have been greatly comforted and sustained by the faithfulness of our covenant Three-in-One Jehovah to His own pure word of truth; and so far from there being danger in declaring the whole counsel of God in Christ to His elect people, I have never found any other testimony so owned of the Lord the Spirit in turning poor wandering sheep to their great and good Shepherd; wherever a free-grace Gospel is faithfully and fully preached, good fruit is the blessed result as far as we can see, amongst all sorts and conditions of men in India as well as at home.

Failing health has compelled an unexpected return to England for a time, but on the passage by sea God strengthened us to preach Christ Jesus the Lord, and several souls were born again from above, and some young believers edified, fulfilling that sure word of promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

After enjoying the happy privilege of blowing the silver trumpet of God's Gospel for ten years, it is one's sore trial (from relaxed sore throat) to sit in silence "under the shadow." Questionless the discipline is good and absolutely needful, but still one cannot help groaning in this body; the old Adam ceases not to vex and annoy, but, blessed consolation to Christ's disciples, "Sin shall not have dominion over you."

Oh, that the Lord would in sovereign mercy raise up more truehearted labourers for His harvest! It is a lamentably evident truth in these days "the labourers are few." Surely, if ever there was need for the Lord's people to be much in united fervent prayer for Zion IT IS NOW. Brethren, pray for us."

J. G. S.

[Deeply, most deeply, do we sympathize with this dear but personally unknown brother in the Lord. May he be divinely sustained, and (if the

Lord's blessed will) speedily restored to his loved labour. Who but those who have been for a season deprived of the sacred privilege can tell how great the privation, and how intense the regret when laid aside, after being permitted to stand forth and minister in the name of the Lord? Without question, to be privileged to proclaim the everlasting Gospel is the highest favour (next to personal salvation) God can confer upon man. To be prime minister or rule a kingdom is not to be compared to the high, the holy, the distinguishing honour of speaking to one's fellow-sinner of the goodness and the love and the tenderness of Jesus. Hence the being debarred from so vast a privilege, after the enjoyment of it, is the more soul-distressing. The Lord, therefore, cheer and comfort His dear servant, and pour upon His people a spirit of prayer for his speedy restoration.ED.

The Protestant Beacon.

CRUELTY IN BELGIUM.

THE Times correspondent tells the following story: "An extraordinary trial of seven colliers for causing the death of two fellow-workmen by illtreatment has just been held at Antwerp. A band of those men, headed by one Nessels, appears for a long time to have exercised a most atrocious tyranny over some of their companions. The motives for their cruelty were chiefly religious, the victims being Protestants and their torturers Catholics. The punishment inflicted was a sort of crucifixion; that is to say, a cross was made by nailing two planks together in the form of an X, to which the sufferers were suspended, bound with cords at their hands and feet until they should do homage to the Virgin. One of the men who had died, named Steenbergen, had also been burnt with hot iron and then plunged in water; this treatment brought on a violent fever, which terminated in death. The ringleader, Nessels, inspired such terror among the other workmen that, when in court before his gaze, the witnesses trembled and hesitated to speak, and the judge at length ordered him to be placed in a position where he could not see them. The whole of the evidence was given with great reluctance, and several of the witnesses had to be menaced with imprisonment for their wilful reticence. Even a collier, named Coulemans, the father of the second man who had died from the injuries received, only disclosed the names of the men who had exercised the cruelty on his son on the Court promising him protection if he were menaced. The accused were now condemned to different terms of imprisonment-Nessels to six years, one to four years, one to eighteen months, two to one year, and two to nine months, with fines in addition varying from 50 fr. to 200 fr."

May the details of our lives be lovely as the followers of Christ, vessels of mercy.

Is your daily life governed by inclination or duty? Are you doing all you might for the cause of Christ, and praying for more labourers in the harvest?