d Dickens; Taine, Huxley, and Tyndall; or the popular
biographies and fictions of the day. And yet her studious habits and
devotion to books did not render her any the less the unaffected,
attractive, and whole-hearted girl. Her friends, both old and young,
greatly admired her, but they loved her still more. As was natural in
one of so much character, she was very decided in her ways; but she was
also perfectly frank, truthful, and conscientious--resembling in
this respect, as she did in some other excellent traits, her honored
grandfather, Mr. Sturges.

Several years before her death she was enrolled among the disciples of
Jesus. How vividly the writer recalls her earnest look and tones of
voice when she declared to him her desire publicly to confess her
Saviour and to remember Him at His table! When from beneath the deep sea
the news that she was dangerously ill and then soon after that she was
dead stole upon her friends here like a thief in the night, almost
stunning them with grief; their first feeling was one of tender sympathy
for the desolate, sorely-smitten parents, and of prayer that God would
be pleased to comfort and uphold them in their affliction.

From many hearts, we are sure, that prayer has been offered up
oftentimes since. If it were not for the relief which comes of faith and
prayer, what a cloud of hopeless gloom would enshroud such an event!
Blessed be God for this exceeding great and precious relief. The dark
cloud is not indeed dispersed even by faith and prayer, but with what
a silver lining they are able to invest it! If we really believed that
such tragical events are solely the effects of chance or mere natural
law--if we did not believe that the hand of infinite wisdom and love is
also in them, surely the grass would turn black beneath our feet. _The
Lord gave; the Lord hath taken away; and blessed be the name of the
Lord._

G. L. P.

* * * * *

H.

_Extracts front Dr. Vincent's Memorial Discourse._

The men and women who know how to comfort human sorrow, and to teach
their fellows to turn it to its highest uses, are among God's best gifts
to the world. The office and the name of Comforter have the highest and
purest associations. It is the Holy Spirit of God who calls Himself by
that name, and to be a true comforter is to be indeed a co-worker with
God. But even as the _word_ "comfort" goes deeper than those pitying
commonplaces which even nature te