reduce the question of right to a clear certainty. How
cautious and scrupulous and jealous of herself she was in this matter,
they best can tell who saw her in the shade of retirement as well as
in the sunshine of public observation. Perhaps it is not going too far
to say, that her least guarded moments would, in others, have been
marked for circumspection. At the same time her vigilance had nothing
austere, gloomy, constrained, or censorious--nothing to repress the
cheerfulness of social intercourse, or to excite in others, even the
thoughtless, a dread of merciless criticism after they should retire.
It was sanctified nature moving gracefully in its own element. And
with respect to the character and feelings of her neighbors, she was
too full of Christian kindness not to keep her tongue from evil and
her lips from speaking guile.

"These virtues and graces were maintained and invigorated by her
habit of prayer. With the 'new and living way into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus,' she was intimately familiar. Thither the Spirit of
grace and supplication daily conducted her; there taught her to pray,
and in praying to believe, and in believing to have 'fellowship with
the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.' She knew her God as the God
that heareth prayer; and could attest that 'blessed is she that
believeth, for there shall be a performance of those things which were
told her from the Lord.'

"Under such influence her course could not but be correct, and
her steps well ordered. The 'secret of the Lord is with them that fear
him; and he will show them his covenant, he will guide them in
judgment.' Thus he did with his handmaid whom he hath called home.
Wherever she was, and in whatever circumstances, she remembered the
guide of her youth, who, according to His promise, never left her, nor
forsook her; but continued His gracious presence with her when she was
old and gray-headed.

"You may perhaps imagine, that with such direction and support it
was impossible she should see trouble. Nay, but waters of a full cup
were wrung out to her. She often ate the bread of sorrow steeped in
wormwood and gall. Her heavenly Father showed her great and sore
adversities; that he might try her as silver is tried, and bring her
forth from the furnace purified seven times. It was during these
refining processes that she found the worth of being a Christian.
Though her way was planted with thorns and watered with her te