e
enemy and our own spirit.

"Since writing the foregoing, I feel afraid of what I have said;
it is dangerous seeking comfort where the Scriptures are silent; yet
while we plead with God to be preserved from error, and try to be
still before him, he will save us from the subtlety of the serpent, as
well as from the rage of the lion. I am, with love,

"Your sympathizing friend,

"ISABELLA GRAHAM."

"ROCKAWAY, September 10, 1811.

"I have been here four Sabbaths. The first I spent at home, the
weather not permitting our going abroad; the second I spent at a
prayer-meeting with the Methodist brethren; the third we rode to
Hempstead, where I heard two plain gospel sermons from Mr. C----,
Presbyterian minister; and the last I attended at the Episcopal
church, same place; heard a good plain gospel sermon from Mr. H----,
and witnessed the dispensation of the Lord's supper.

"To sing the praises of our redeeming God, and to lift up my
heart in prayer with my fellow-sinners, in the comfortable hope that
there are other living souls praising and praying with me, refreshes
me: to hear the word of God read, and to be led to meditate upon it,
however simple and common the exposition, also refreshes me. I am
generally led to pray much for minister and people; to consider myself
as one with them in Christ. However weak his natural powers, however
few or small his talents, if I have reason to think that he is taught
of God that which flesh and blood cannot teach, I desire to esteem him
highly for his work's sake. I thank God for the meanest and weakest
of such: I believe they never labor in vain. 'Out of the mouths of
babes and sucklings,' in talents as well as in years, God will
perfect praise.

"In this new world, thickly settled in many places with natural
men 'eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,' while the
flood of wrath is hastening to overwhelm them, and none to warn them
of their danger, nor point out the ark of safety; shall such men be
reckoned of none account, and their labors of no value? No, the wealth
of both Indies cannot balance their work; nor all the talents ever
possessed by fallen man, with all the orthodoxy which mere talents are
capable of acquiring, without that divine teaching which many of
those, thus contemned, possess. That same small discourse, those few
plain points, these s