p.

find that he is good and greatly to be praised - and
that His loving kindness is better than Life. Dear Rachel
it was shown of old, that, human extremity is the Lord's [deleted]
opportunity for working wonderful things for those who put
their trust in Him. Never, never, let thy confidence in
Him be impaired, whatever [proving?] may be thine.

Thy cry sent upward for thy sons, as they are taking their
rank in the world, and the unutterable burden of heart for
thy beloved daughters, that their Lord may keep them all
near, and lay his hand on them, and bless them, I cannot
doubt have found a place before the face of thy Father who is
in Heaven; before Him who knoweth the things we stand
in need of before we ask Him.

I sometimes think it matters little, in what way our trials may come;
as, sure it is, "In this world ye shall have tribulation", if we only be passed
over by them into the hands of that most gracious Lord who worketh in
us, and with us, and upon us, the work of His Salvation.

Thou wilt persive something of the fullness of that wisdom which
suffered the [pent?]-up host of Israel to feel the utter helplessness of their
own condition, ere an escape was made for them in the parting sea; that
brought hunger to their very souls, ere bread from Heaven came; that
permitted them to suffer the agony of enduring thirst, before the Rock
of Horeb poured out its Streams. And those wilt see, when, the Prophet
went up to Heaven, in a chariot of fire, how fully and enduringly it is
proclaimed that there is a final home on High for all those who, in
faith, through all their provings, have run their race below.

Such instances speak of a glory that lights up our pathway
here; and of a richer glory that eye hath not seen, in a better
world to come. And do we ask for more? Look then and
behold the Stone rolled back from the Tomb! and a risen and
glorified Lord standing forth, with the blessed words: "I ascend to
my father and your father, to my God and to your God." Thou, then,
and my own heart may believe that, the same crucified Lord, who lay
down His life for us, the just for unjust, ever liveth at the right
hand of God - that if any man now sin we have an advocate
already there to plead our cause. I almost know thou wilt trust

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in such a Lord, when He has told thee, in words that never have
been impaired in their fullness of tone, and will not, while there is a
soul to be saved; "I will not leave you comfortless" - "I will come again
and receive you unto myself."

After so much said, which, certainly I did not intend, on taking
the pen, thou wilt look for some account of my case of illness. And
I need only say, that, though I have gained some strength, so that I can
hold, for a little time, the pen, my ailments, especially in the left side
admonish me of steady approach to that period when all that I love
and hold dear in this world will be forever parted from. And yet, in
unspeakable goodness, no feeling of my heart has been permitted to
ask for longer stay. No cloud has been suffered to fall upon that
dear view of a better home, where all that is, here, greatly endeared to
to me will soon be gathered. And, indeed, what am I, that I should
covet a lengthened [tennance?]. I have already been blessed with more
years than thousands of far better men.

But in one sense of the word, I am sick of the world - of its
ceaseless change; its unending strife; its dehumanizing ambition
in its strife for power, where one man's distinction is built, literally,
on the crushed bones of thousands. Still, I know there is a possibility
of living, "[underline], while in, above[/underline] the world"; when Grace Divine prevails to
lift up the head of the humble traveller above the turbulence of this
world's stir.

It is too well known that on me, when in comparative comfort
and prosperity, the world has sometimes turned its thorny, torturing,
side giving anguish and distress and sorrow. But as I now look back
upon the past I see that, in my lot, there has been mingled so large
a share of sweet domestic good, and in the rather extended course opened
for me, there has been afforded so full an enjoyment of social
blessings; and added to these, so delightful a sense of things beautiful;
and things in their very being harmoniously imparting influences
favorable to each other; and so subduing a perception of things wonder-
ful and incomprehensibly great amongst the works of an Allwise
hand, that I am held, not altogether an unwilling prisoner, here,
until the time of release may come. Still, when the eye is raised