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ened a review of the past, from my earliest recollections, and in tracing the impressions of my own mind, the windings of my ways, the consequences and effects, I had many a pang of selfconviction, and many an illustration of the natural heart, and, blessed be God, many a token of the benefit of an early training to the love of my parents in the love of the Lord.

These retrospections are often among the most valuable operations of the Holy Spirit, working within, and disclosing to us from past experiences, the mysteries of sin, and the unwearied faithfulness of God. I was thankful for this counsel within my own heart, and felt both more earnest and more humble in the calling before me. I felt, too, that my way was opening, and I had now to bring in the other friends with whom we were intimately associated, to make our object as generally useful as possible. I thought it best to call upon them, and openly to explain my intention, for I desired a voluntary attendance, wishing that, at the same time that I presented it in an engaging manner to win their consent,-it should also be in such a way as to convey its serious importance. I expected to find difficulties, but would not on that account be deterred.

My first call was on Mary's parents, and when I presented my plan, her mother (Mrs. Conway) smiled, and said,

You have imposed upon yourself an extraordinary task, I fear, and not perhaps likely to produce the end desired; for unless people will

confirm precept by practice, little can be expected.

True, I replied, but in cases where the precept is unknown, we are sure the practice can never be founded on it.

Mr. Conway then said, My dear friend, I do not feel myself in any need of such instruction, I have what I want, the perfect obedience of my child. If at any time she is tempted to express any reluctance, a look from me is sufficient to establish my authority. She knows I never waver; once having said, Do, she knows very well it must be done; and I have been the more particular on this subject, because she is our only child, and I determined she should never have to blame her parents, as too many only children have.

Mary was present, and listened with great attention. The thing I most feared was, that her father should once refuse compliance, as I knew it would then be fruitless to endeavor to induce him to retract.

At all events, I said, you will allow the purpose to be good, and being undertaken with a desire of good, we may hope for a blessing. There are not many who know the just use of discipline, and fewer still who know the power of the Word of God. You would, perhaps, at least be interested in seeing the effects we may expect on different characters; and if no success were to be granted, we should have this comfort, "it was well that it was in thy heart."

The idea of being a spectator for others, rather than a hearer for himself, was a more persuasive plea; and Mary, seeing her father's countenance relax, and his strong eyebrows rise, ventured to come close to me, and said,

I should like to be one of the party, papa, with my companions.

Well, well, we will agree, and provided I find nothing happen tending to weaken my authority, we will be regular in our attendance.

Very well, I answered, I wish for no more. Now, may Mary accompany me to Isabella's mamma, and we will ask the same of her.

This request being granted, we went out, and on our way, Mary asked,

What do you mean to do; are we to say our Catechism?

The Catechism may be found useful to us; but we will draw our instructions from the fountain of wisdom,-the word of God, and I trust you will find it pleasant and improving.

Is it to teach us to obey our parents, that you mean?

Yes, and to honor them and to love them.
I think I do obey.

I am glad to see so much obedience; but why do you obey?

Oh! because I dare not do otherwise. Indeed, I cannot, for my papa and mamma would soon oblige me to do it. I know it is for my good, though sometimes I feel it painful; but you know I ought to obey; and once when I was crying in

my room, about something I did not like to do, mamma's maid Hannah came so kindly to me, and showed me a verse in the Bible, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right :" I have never forgotten it, and then I was happier, and never cried any more about that thing.

Then if all your obedience were put upon that ground, you would find but little occasion to cry for any thing that it was your duty to do.

We were now at Mrs. Dennis's door, and Isabella, who had seen our approach, flew down stairs to receive us she took my hand, saying,

How glad I am that you are come: mamma and brother William are up stairs. Come in.

Mrs. Dennis was listening to the conversation of William as we entered. She rose to receive us with an attempt to smile a welcome, but the sorrow of her heart refused to enable her. The extreme sensibility of her feelings were expressed in her pale countenance, and her languid eyes, which were suffused with tears that could not flow. In her widow's garments, and her two children with her, she at once formed an object peculiarly interesting, as respected especially the right training of her darling treasures, the constant mementos of the father they had lost. I felt some difficulty in intruding upon her my design, but Isabella's interest and her own happiness were so intimately involved in it, that I took courage to make the proposal.

She paused a few moments for reflection, and at length said,

For my personal attendance I must beg to be excused; I have neither spirits nor health at present; and for my children, I do not know what to say. I certainly should not like any new ideas to be presented to them that would weaken their attachment to me.

I should hope you have nothing to fear on that head, but rather perhaps to hope for an increase of filial love and duty.

She sighed deeply, and answered, It was my first ambition to fix their chief love on their now departed father. It used to give him pleasure when they expressed that their strongest love was for him. When their friends used to ask them which they loved best, papa or mamma, I delighted in teaching them to answer, "Papa, to be sure." But now he is gone, and I love to hear them bemoan his loss in accents of complaint; but I must confess, I now chiefly desire to draw their love over to myself; they make now my only solace, but I fear I have myself weaned them from me too much, so that I shall scarcely possess the fervor of their affection.

Mamma, dear mamma! said Isabella; he taught me a lesson yesterday that makes me love you more than ever I did. And she was going to throw her arms on her mother's neck, when a conscious recollection of the entwining woodbine stopped the impulse.

I was much affected; and going to her, raised her arm, and laid it over the shoulder on which she longed to lean.

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