s day has the Lord our God answered our prayers, and enriched
us beyond the ordinary lot of humanity. D---- and I. B---- and J----
are restored to their preserved places, and to the bosom of their
family. We are as men who dream; our mouths are filled with laughter,
our tongues with singing; the Lord hath done great things for us,
whereof we are glad. Thou hast turned our captivity as the streams in
the south. We sowed in tears, we have reaped in joy. Bless the Lord, O
our souls; ever true and faithful is his word: 'He that goeth forth
and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.'

"'O Lord, from thee is our fruit found;' may our sheaves be many
and weighty, thou working all our works in us, to thine own glory and
our blessedness. Amen."

"1802.

"Dear brother Pero,* happy brother Pero, thy Jesus, in whom thou
trustedst, has loosed thy bonds, has brought thee to that rest which
remains for the people of God; thou drinkest of the pure river that
maketh glad the city of our God; of that blessed fountain from which
issue all the streams which refresh and revive us weary pilgrims. But
a little while ago, and thou wast weary, dark, and solitary; thy flesh
fettering and clogging thy spirit; thy God trying thy faith, hope, and
patience, which he had previously implanted, watered, and made
vigorous, to stand that trial more precious than gold that perisheth,
though it be tried by fire, and was made manifest to the glory of that
Saviour who leaves not his people in any case. If need be, they are in
heaviness, through manifold temptations; but he knows how to deliver
them, having himself been tempted.

*Pero was an elderly man of color whom Mr. Andrew Smith had
purchased, and made free.
Pero had previously been a freed man of Christ. He had been for some
time in ill health; Mrs. Graham kindly attended on him, and read the
Scriptures to him: he died by the bursting of a bloodvessel, at an
hour when none of the family were with him. Mrs. Graham, in humility
of spirit, reproaches herself in this exercise, for having been
absent from him, without inquiring into his situation for one hour.

"Thou hadst a taste of his cup: like him thou didst endure the
contradiction of sinners; like him thou didst experience the desertion
of friends, even thine old mistress, whom thou lately didst est