ld to
us."

"Peace be unto you and all that belong to you!"

"Amen, and thank you, dear sir," was echoed from each tongue.

Thus we parted for that time. My returning meditations were sweet, and,
I hope, profitable.

Many other visits were afterwards made by me to this peaceful cottage,
and I always found increasing reason to thank God for the intercourse I
there enjoyed.

An interval of some length occurred once during that year, in which I had
not seen the Dairyman's family. I was reminded of the circumstance by
the receipt of the following letter:

"Rev. Sir,

"I have been expecting to see or hear from you for a considerable
time. Excuse the liberty I take in sending you another letter. I
have been confined to the house the greater part of the time since I
left ---. I took cold that day, and have been worse ever since. I
walk out a little on these fine days, but seem to myself to walk very
near on the borders of eternity. Glory be to God, it is a very
pleasing prospect before me. Though I feel the workings of sin, and
am abased, yet Jesus shows his mercy to be mine, and I trust that I am
his. At such times

"My soul would leave this heavy clay
At his transporting word,
Run up with joy the shining way
To meet and prove the Lord.

"Fearless of hell and ghastly death,
I'd break through every foe;
The wings of love and arms of faith
Would bear me conqueror through."

My desire is to live every moment to God, that I may through his grace
be kept in that heavenly, happy frame of mind that I shall wish for at
the hour of death. We cannot live nor die happy without this, and to
keep it we must be continually watching and praying: for we have many
enemies to disturb our peace. I am so very weak, that now I can go
nowhere to any outward means for that help which is so refreshing to
my spirit.

"I should have been very happy to have heard you last Sunday, when you
preached at ---: I could not walk so far. I hope the Word spoken by
you was made a blessing to many that heard it. It was my earnest
prayer to God that it might be so. But, alas! once calling does not
awaken many that are in a sound sleep. Yet the voice of God is
sometimes very powerful when his ministers speak, when they are
influenced by his Holy Spirit, and are simple and sincere in holding
forth the Word of Life. Then it