lassitude and frailty. The winter found her trembling on the verge of the grave, in feebleness extreme. Although willing to die, she was not unwilling to live a little longer. She cherished for some time the fond idea, that, if she could survive the bleak months of winter, until the bright days of spring should return, she might so far revive as to be wheeled round the garden, and see her flower-border again. But just when the violet begins to bloom, and fill its green and shady bed with its own gentle fragrance, our child was removed to the land where spring is eternal, and the flowers never wither. She was naturally reserved; but, by the grace of God, she had been enabled to make sure work for eternity. She exercised an almost scrupulous jealousy over herself. She was afraid of saying too much, or of being too positive; but she was in the hands of God. At length the last night came, when she was favoured with a most gracious visitation from her loving Redeemer. "I love Jesus! I love Jesus!" she joyfully exclaimed. She was evidently nearing the Jordan of death,-descending the banks of the cold river. We accompanied her to the margin, but could go no farther. "Come, Lord Jesus!" she said; "take me to be with Thee to-night." All was calm, and she was permitted to cross where the waters are shallow.

A young clergyman put a few beautiful verses into our hands, hoping they would afford the consolation which he felt unable himself to give. They meet the case; and the reader shall have part of them.

A VOICE FROM HEAVEN FOR THE BEREAVED.

"No breaking heart is here,

No keen and thrilling pain;

No wasted cheek, where the frequent tear

Hath roll'd, and left its stain.

“I have found the joy of heaven,

I am one of the angel-band;

To my head a crown of gold is given,

And a harp is in my hand.

"I have learn'd the song they sing,
Whom Jesus hath set free;

And the glorious walls of heaven still ring

With my new-born melody.

"No sin, no grief, no pain;

Safe in my happy home!

My fears all fled, my doubts all slain,

My hour of triumph come!

We have next the memento of two sisters, one of whom quickly followed the other to glory everlasting. The motto selected for the elder one is, “CHRIST IS PRECIOUS;" for the younger, (aged seventeen,) “Is THIS MY DYING HOUR? WELL; I AM QUite ready."-A trio of happy sisters, who have died in the Lord, also claim a few remarks.* For some time the youngest of them was blind, but remarkably cheerful. Like Milton, she thought it not an oppressive thing to be classed with the blind, the weak, the afflicted, the sorrowful. With this prince among our English poets, she could say," To be blind is not to be miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable. But why should I be unable to bear that which it behoves everyone to be prepared to bear, should the accident happen to himself, without repining? Why should I be unable to bear what I know may happen to any mortal being-what I know has actually happened to some of the most eminent and the best of men on the records of memory?" When we last saw her, she played and sang, "The happy Land;" and the silent tear rolled down her cheek, and fell upon her dress. But it was not the tear of sorrow. She could look forward to the world in which there is no night, but open vision and endless day. Nor was she long absent from these joys. Her heavenly Father, in great love, said, "Come up hither." Her mourning-card is inscribed with a touchingly suitable quotation from Isaiah :-"The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but THE LORD SHALL BE UNTO THEE AN EVERLASTING LIGHT, AND THY GOD THY GLORY." -Frances was followed by her sister Mary in about six months. Her last words were, "I am dying. I am on the verge; but I can see quite over. Faith-light-happiness. It is all right. He saves me. He saves me.”. One daughter, of all the eight, now remained. Seven were safely lodged in the Eden of love. The surviver's heart was too full for language; and, in communicating information of the death of the last sister, she merely enclosed a small slip of paper with these words, "I only am left alone to tell thee." Three years of such loneliness were allotted to her, during which she was well sustained by Divine strength. “O for a firmer faith in God," she wrote, "who permits all my earthly gourds to wither, in order that I may abide under the shadow of the Almighty, my only safe and secure resting-place!" In her last sickness she quoted a favourite

verse:

"Fain would I on Thee rely,

Cast on Thee my every care;
To Thine arms of mercy fly,
Find my lasting quiet there :"-

remarking to her venerable parent, "Father, that is just my place." And again :

Five sisters had pre

All the eight died in Christ, leaving most
The record of most of them has been

* Daughters of the late Rev. William Dalby, of Wisbeach. ceded them in their passage to the skies. satisfactory evidence of the glorious fact. inserted in the pages of this Magazine.

"One view of Him who bled and died

Is better far than all beside."

She soon afterwards sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, joining her seven sisters, and her mother, in heaven.

3. Heads of families, or men of business, "in the midst of life."-The average length of human life is said to be not more than twenty-four years; only one-tenth of mankind exceeding fifty years. The majority of the mementos now in view announce ages under that of half a century. A few died about thirty, but recently married, and having scarcely marked out their schemes of worldly policy. Others were in the meridian. Some, we fear, were sadly encumbered with thick clay, which hindered them in running for an incorruptible crown. Alas for those whom death surprised in the midst of secular cares! "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names." "Why should they overload the vessel," asks one, "in which their everlasting all is embarked; or fill their arms with superfluities, when they are to swim for their lives? Yet, so preposterous is the conduct of those persons who are all industry to heap up an abundance of the wealth which perisheth, but are scarcely so much as faintly desirous of being 'rich toward God."-But names are before us of men who had learnt the happy art of living for two worlds at once. On earth" providing things honest in the sight of all men ;" and, at the same time, providing themselves "bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not; where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Let us give one such example; a Christian who had a "good report of all men, and of the truth itself." His last sufferings were severe; but He whom he had long served, and in whom he trusted, kept his soul in peace. For hours before his departure, pain left him, and he seemed calmly passing to the bosom of God. He spoke and prayed much; but his enfeebled voice was often inaudible. Such expressions as could be caught were "Christ a rock;" "a refuge in a weary land." Among the last words he uttered were,

"With confidence I now draw nigh,
And Father, Abba, Father, cry."

The following cases are supplementary to the class last named. We had a conversation, never-to-be-forgotten, with one the night before her death. She was leaving children behind her; but she knew the Lord would "take them up." Never were death and the grave more completely disarmed of their terrors. She feared no evil. She had light all the way through the valley. A few minutes before her departure, she sweetly said,—

"Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,

And let me languish into life;"

and at once" mortality" was "swallowed up." The worthy husband followed his wife to glory, after the short interval of nine months.-There

is another example, where the order is reversed. The husband goes first, -dying, as he had lived, "unto the Lord." He left behind him "a widow indeed." But in a few short years a post came (to use Bunyan's phrase) from the celestial city for Christiana, with matter of great importance; namely, "The Master calleth for thee."

The memorial at which we next glance is that of an old and highlyesteemed friend. "My dear," said her husband, (a minister,) “I am anxious to know how you feel in prospect of another world." She replied, "You have seen my life: there has been no disguise. Many have been my failings, and I have much to mourn over; but I have loved God and His cause, and would have made any sacrifice for Him. I feel resigned to His will. If He take me, it will be all right; if He spare me, it will be all right. In my extreme sufferings He has kept me from murmuring. I have not had a stroke too much." Again: "I have just had such a manifestation of the goodness of God, that I feel I must tell you. I have often been much distressed with the fear of death; but it is now gone. It is all right. I thought, Why trouble myself about these things? God will take care of me, and all will be well.' I have often gone to the graveyard, and thought, I cannot lie here;' and the bare imagination of it has troubled me. But I am now delivered from this." So may the writer and the reader triumph!

Lastly. The aged.-Most of these venerable friends had exceeded the age allotted to man, and several had gone beyond fourscore years. They came to the grave "in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season." Let us trust that their piety was as mature as their days were full. In many cases, constantly coming under notice, "evil habits must have struck the deepest root; must have twisted themselves with every fibre of the heart, and be as thoroughly ingrained in the disposition as the soot in the Ethiopian's complexion, or the spots in the leopard's skin." Several among the aged whom we now recall, we know, were happy and honourable exceptions. They had been wise to "remember their Creator in the days of their youth ;" and had, in the time of strength, furnished their lamps with heavenly oil. When the midnight cry was made, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," they were found ready, and "went in with Him to the marriage." They could say, amid increasing weakness, "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Among these we may confidently class our late faithful friends, before mentioned. Who can imagine the joy of the old minister on touching the celestial shore? May we not suppose, that foremost in the radiant escort would be his beloved wife and his eight daughters? Would they not sweep their harps anew, and sing, "Glory in the highest?"

Our concluding notice is of the late venerable William Turner, of GreenHill, Derby; who departed this life, November 15th, 1861, aged ninety. Two features of character in this deceased gentleman are well worthy of observation; namely, his courtesy to strangers, and the deep interest which

he took in the welfare of young men. It is no exaggeration to state that scores, perhaps hundreds, were induced to become hearers of the Gospel in the chapel, King-street, through the attentions of Mr. Turner. He usually took up his position at the front entrance or lobby, where he had a view of all who approached. He was a keen observer, and a stranger would be sure to engage his notice. He seldom took his own seat, until the hymn before sermon. Many a young man, and especially many a candidate for the ministry, will long remember his kindness and sympathy. The latter were sure to receive a few words of valuable counsel in reference both to their temporal and spiritual welfare. One Sunday morning, as he was passing the door of a vestry-room, where a class-meeting was just concluded, his full heart gave utterance to a feeling of deep joy. Nineteen young men were in attendance that morning, and a blessed season of spiritual refreshing they had experienced. Many of these young men were not only imbued with the spirit of true devotion, but also endowed with talents for considerable usefulness. No doubt, they looked a happy, hopeful company,-promising, if spared, to be in future years pillars and ornaments of Christ's church. It is not surprising, therefore, that a Simeon in Israel, contemplating an auxiliary band like this, should joyously exclaim, “O, what a mercy!” The reflections of the veteran would be something like the following:-" My own yoke-fellows have now, for the most part, ceased to be members of the church militant; and, behold, I am going the way of all the earth. But I see a goodly company of young men, whose hearts God has touched, ready to fill up vacancies in the ranks, and to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children.'"-In the fifty-first Report of the Derby and Derbyshire Auxiliary Bible Society, 1862, we find the following Resolution :-"The Committee desire to offer a tribute of respect and affection to the memory of William Turner, Esq., late one of the VicePresidents of the Auxiliary, by recording their testimony to the fidelity with which he maintained the principles and promoted the cause of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Present at the formation of the Auxiliary in 1811, he was appointed one of the members of its first Committee. For many years past he has taken part in the same capacity in the business of the Association, and has uniformly attended with regularity and diligence to the duties of his office. The Committee condole with his family, with the religious Society to which he was more especially attached, and with the whole Christian community, in the loss sustained by them in his removal; and at the same time would express their thankfulness to Almighty God for the instructive example of benevolence and piety exhibited by their departed friend, during a long course of years, in this town and neighbourhood, and in connexion with many valuable institutions."

"To die is gain," says an apostle. The more enlightened among the ancient Greeks had some faint apprehension of the gain of dying; but the