r could help it. I confess it freely, and believe it was a judgment
from heaven inflicted on her for some sin of former days, and that I
had no power to have acted otherwise towards her than I did.

In this frame of mind was I when my reverend father one morning arose
from his seat, and, meeting me as I entered the room, he embraced me,
and welcomed me into the community of the just upon earth. I was struck
speechless, and could make no answer save by looks of surprise. My
mother also came to me, kissed, and wept over me; and, after showering
unnumbered blessings on my head, she also welcomed me into the society
of the just made perfect. Then each of them took me by a hand, and my
reverend father explained to me how he had wrestled with God, as the
patriarch of old had done, not for a night, but for days and years, and
that in bitterness and anguish of spirit, on my account; but, that he
had at last prevailed, and had now gained the long and earnestly
desired assurance of my acceptance with the Almighty, in and through
the merits and sufferings of his Son. That I was now a justified
person, adopted among the number of God's children--my name written in
the Lamb's book of life, and that no by-past transgression, nor any
future act of my own, or of other men, could be instrumental in
altering the decree. "All the powers of darkness," added he, "shall
never be able to pluck you again out of your Redeemer's hand. And now,
my son, be strong and steadfast in the truth. Set your face against
sin, and sinful men, and resist even to blood, as many of the faithful
of this land have done, and your reward shall be double. I am assured
of your acceptance by the word and spirit of Him who cannot err, and
your sanctification and repentance unto life will follow in due course.
Rejoice and be thankful, for you are plucked as a brand out of the
burning, and now your redemption is sealed and sure."

I wept for joy to be thus assured of my freedom from all sin, and of
the impossibility of my ever again falling away from my new state. I
bounded away into the fields and the woods, to pour out my spirit in
prayer before the Almighty for his kindness to me: my whole frame
seemed to be renewed; every nerve was buoyant with new life; I felt as
if I could have flown in the air, or leaped over the tops of the trees.
An exaltation of spirit lifted me, as it were, far above the earth and
the sinful creatures crawling on its surface; and I deemed my