terally break to pieces, but we are mercifully kept from realising our
sorrows all the time. The waves dash in and almost overwhelm, but then
they sweep back and are stayed by an almighty, kind hand.... It is like
tearing off a limb to leave our dear prayer-meeting. Next to my closet,
it has been to me the sweetest spot on earth. I never expect to find
such another.

To another friend she writes a day or two later:

My heart fairly _collapses_ at times, at the thought of tearing myself
away from those whom Christian ties have made dearer to me than my
kindred after the flesh. And then comes the precious privilege and
relief of telling my yet dearer and better Friend all about it, and the
sweet peace begotten of yielding my will to His. I want to be of all
the use and comfort to you and to the other dear ones He will let me be
during these few months. Do pray for me that I may so live Christ as to
bear others along with me on a resistless tide. Those lines you copied
for me are a great comfort:

"Rather walking with Him by faith,
Than walking alone in the light."

Of the little praying circle, alluded to in her letter to Mrs. C., one
of its members writes:

It was unique even among meetings of its own class. Held in an upper
chamber, never largely attended and sometimes only by the "two or
three," it was almost unknown except to the few, who regarded it as
among their chiefest religious privileges. All the other members would
gladly have had Mrs. Prentiss assume its entire leadership; but she
assumed nothing and was no doubt quite unconscious as to how large
an extent she was the life and soul of the meeting. In the familiar
conversation of the hour nothing fell from her lips but such simple
words as, coming from a glowing heart, strengthened and deepened the
spiritual life of all who heard them. She had, in a degree I never knew
equalled, the gift of leading the devotions of others. But there was not
the slightest approach to performance in her prayers; she abhorred the
very thought of it. Those who knelt with her can never forget the pure
devotion which breathed itself forth in simple exquisite language; but
it was something beyond the power of description.

Another member of the circle writes:

Her prayers were so simple, so earnest, so childlike. We all felt we
were in the very presence of our loving Father. One thing especially
always impressed me during that sacred hour--it was her _quietness of
manner