s as personal holiness in yourself. We _must_
practise what we preach, and give ourselves wholly to Christ if we want
to persuade others to do it. I am saying feebly what I feel very deeply
and constantly. You will rejoice with me that I had the rare privilege
of being with dear Dr. Skinner during his last hours. If you have a copy
of Watts and Select hymns, read the 106th hymn of the 2d book, beginning
at the 2d verse, "Lord, when I quit this earthly stage," and fancy, if
you can, the awe and the delight with which I heard him repeat those
nine verses, as expressive of his dying love to Christ. I feel that
God is always too good to me, but to have Him make me witness of that
inspiring scene, humbles me greatly. In how many ways He seeks us, now
smiling, now caressing, now reproving, now thwarting, and _always_ doing
the very best thing for us that infinite love and goodness can! Let us
love Him better and better every day, and count no work for Him too
small and unnoticed to be wrought thankfully whenever He gives the
opportunity. I hope I am learning to honor the day of small things.

_To Mrs. Humphrey, New York, March 14, 1871._

So you have at last broken the ice and made out, after almost a year, to
write that promised letter! Well, it was worth waiting for, and welcome
when it came, and awakened in me an enthusiasm about seeing the dear
creature, of which I hardly thought my old heart was capable (that
statement is an affectation; my heart isn't old, and never will be). Our
plan now is, if all prospers, to go to Philadelphia on Friday afternoon,
spend the night with you, Saturday with Mrs. Kirkbride, and Sunday and
part of Monday with you. I hope you mean to let us have a quiet little
time with you, unbeknown to strangers, whom I dread and shrink from....

_March 28th._--What a queer way we womenkind have of confiding in each
other with perfectly reckless disregard of consequences! It is a mercy
that men are, for the most part, more prudent, though not half so
delightful!... Well, I'm ever so glad I've seen you in your home, only
I found you more frail (in the way of health) than I found you fair. We
hear that your husband preached "splendidly," as of course we knew he
would, and the next exchange I shall be there to hear as well as to see.

Coming out of the cars yesterday, I picked up a "Daily Food," dropped, I
suppose, by its owner, "Sarah ----," of Philadelphia, given her by "Miss
H. in 1853." It has travell