and all at once, as if to
answer it, my memory became exceedingly clear, and it appeared to me
just as if the New Testament was placed open before me, eighth chapter
of Romans, and as light as if some candle lighted was held for me to
read the 26th and 27th verses of that chapter, and I read these words:
'The Spirit helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be
uttered.' And all the time that my heart was a-beating, it made me
groan like a person in distress, which was not very easy to stop,
though I was in no pain at all, and my brother being in bed in another
room came and opened the door, and asked me if I had got the toothache.
I told him no, and that he might get to sleep. I tried to stop. I felt
unwilling to go to sleep myself, I was so happy, fearing I should lose
it--thinking within myself

'My willing soul would stay
In such a frame as this.'

And while I lay reflecting, after my heart stopped beating, feeling as
if my soul was full of the Holy Spirit, I thought that perhaps there
might be angels hovering round my bed. I felt just as if I wanted to
converse with them, and finally I spoke, saying 'O ye affectionate
angels! how is it that ye can take so much interest in our welfare, and
we take so little interest in our own.' After this, with difficulty I
got to sleep; and when I awoke in the morning my first thoughts were:
What has become of my happiness? and, feeling a degree of it in my
heart, I asked for more, which was given to me as quick as thought. I
then got up to dress myself, and found to my surprise that I could but
just stand. It appeared to me as if it was a little heaven upon earth.
My soul felt as completely raised above the fears of death as of going
to sleep; and like a bird in a cage, I had a desire, if it was the will
of God, to get released from my body and to dwell with Christ, though
willing to live to do good to others, and to warn sinners to repent. I
went downstairs feeling as solemn as if I had lost all my friends, and
thinking with myself, that I would not let my parents know it until I
had first looked into the Testament. I went directly to the shelf and
looked into it, at the eighth of Romans, and every verse seemed to
almost speak and to confirm it to be truly the Word of God, and as if
my feelings corresponded with the meaning of the word. I then told my
parents of it, and told them that I thought that they must see that
when I spoke, that