imposed upon her; and was prepared to enter with redoubled energy upon her duties, as sole head of her family. Precious as was in her view a throne of grace, she felt anxious to direct all connected with, and dependent on her, to the same living fountain, whence she had derived her own supplies and on the evening of that awful day, which called from the domestic altar her husband and head, she assembled around it her bereaved household, and took the lead in the same solemn and delightful duties which he had been accustomed to perform. To this laudable practice she adhered, so long as she remained in a family state, which was about four months from her husband's decease. Under this, in itself, most distressing visitation of Divine Providence; she received the condolence of her Christian friends, both at home and abroad. The tender, and scriptural expression of this, in the two following letters to the mourning widow, will doubtless be interesting to the reader. 8 LETTER I. Friday morning. There is none of your surrounding friends, my dear madam, that more sincerely sympathizes with you on this melancholy occasion, than I do. Would it were in my power to be with you. But my unhappy situation as to health, prevents. I wish quietly to submit to the dispensation of Providence in thus correcting me. You, my much esteemed friend, are now experiencing, I trust, those divine supports which the world can neither give, nor take from youyou have a Blessed Rock to rest on; a covenant-keeping God to fly to. There is your support. O what a stay it is, to have the divine promises for your own! You have my prayers to God for you, that you may be sustained in this day of adversity. If we aright feel the rod, it will be a blessing. This sudden death of Mr. Waters, is a loud call to each of us, to be also ready. He, I trust, has received that blessed euge-" Well done thou good and faithful servant;" and is now triumphing "in the joy of his Lord." May we all endeavour to follow him, wherein he followed his Blessed Master. Mama desires her kind love, and assurances of her remembrance of you. Believe me, yours affectionately, LETTER II. Quebec, 5th June, 1785. My dear Madam, When Mrs. W. mentioned to me your desire, that I would write to you on the afflictive providence it has pleased your Heavenly Father to visit you with, I felt myself inadequate to the office of a comforter. Ah! my friend I have been made to drink deep in affliction's cup, and have tasted the wormwood and the gall in a variety of trials; but have not been called to take of that potion which you have been made to receive. Yet I would earlier bave noticed your request, had an opportunity to pass a letter to you offered. I hope however it is not too late to say, that I do truly sympathize with you, and most ardently 'Tis sad indeed darlings of our But let us re wish you a sanctified improvement of all God's dealings with you, a thorough resignation to his holy will, and that as gold purified in the fire, you may come from this furnace, brightened for future usefulness. When afflictions, my friend, work humility, and wean us from a too cager pursuit after this world, we have reason to hope they do us good, and are designed in mercy. These happy effects I trust you find; and are enabled to acquiesce in this tribulation, which for the present is not joyous. to see our beloved, the souls laid in the dust. member that it is but for a little season; that they will not always continue thus. This short nap will soon be over, and they shall awake-they shall arise, mortality shall be swallowed up of life! Then shall they appear in the complete and all-perfect robe wrought out for them by the righteousness of the Redeemer, and purchased with his blood. Let us then, my dear, dry up our sorThe hour is hastening when our Lord shall come; and those who sleep in him, he will bring with him. Our rows. dear departed ones shall then shine forth as the stars. Those gross bodies of dust and earth shall be refined, and become glorious bodies, fitted for heavenly employments and heavenly pleasures. They now rest from their labors! they have passed the ocean death; while we, my dear friend, are still tossed to and fro on this sea of glass and fire, as one expresses it. Oh, may those afflictive providences with which we have been visited, make us more willing to follow them; and excite in us the most ardent desires after those mansions of perfect love, and peace, and holiness, where we may behold the glories of the Lamb, and join in the celestial employment of ascribing everlasting praises to his name. I leave many things unsaid, (which my full heart dictates) for want of time. But I cannot conclude, without making a particular request, to be daily remembered in your petitions at the throne of grace. Your very sincere, |