n
and ignorance are the ways to ruin and hell--and pray tell them, sir,
from me, that Christ is indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life--he will
in no wise cast out any that come. Tell them that I, a poor girl--"

She was quite exhausted, and sunk for a while into a torpid state, from
which, however, she recovered gradually, uttering these expressions:
"Where am I?--I thought I was going--Lord, save me!"

"My dear child, you will soon be for ever in _His_ arms who is now
guiding you by his rod and staff through the valley of the shadow of
death."

"I believe so, indeed I do," said she; "I long to be with him!--Oh, how
good, how great, how merciful!--Jesus, save me, help me through this last
trial!"

She then gave one hand to her father, the other to her mother, and said,
"God bless you, God bless you--seek the Lord--think of me when I am
gone--it may be for your good--remember your souls--oh, for Christ's sake
remember your souls--then all may be well--you cannot know what I have
felt for both of you--Lord, pardon and save my dear father and mother!"

She then took hold of her brother's hand, saying, "Thomas, I beg you to
leave off your bad ways--read the Bible--I give you mine--I have found it
a precious book. Do you not remember our little brother, who died some
years since?--he was praying to the last moment of his life. Learn to
pray while you are in health, and you will find the comfort and power of
it when you come to die; but, first of all, pray for a new heart--without
it you will never see God in heaven--your present ways lead to misery and
ruin--may the Lord turn your heart to love and follow him!"

To the other woman she said, "I thank you, Dame K---, for all your
kindness since I have been ill--you have been a Christian friend to me,
and I hope that the Lord will remember you for it, according to his rich
mercy:--you and I have many a time talked together about death; and
though I am the youngest, he calls me first to pass through it: but,
blessed be his name, I am not terrified. I once thought I could never
die without fear; but indeed I feel quite happy, now it is come; and so
will you, if you trust him--he is the God both of the old and the young."

"Ah, my child!" said the woman, "I wish I was as fit to die as you are;
but I fear that will never be--my sins have been many, very many."

"Christ's blood cleanseth from all sin," said the child.

At this moment, instead of growing weaker, throug