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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dorniiro page qui comporte une telle omprointo. Un des symboies suivants apparaitra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symbole — »• signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbolo V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fiimAs A des taux do reduction diff fronts. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour 6tre reproduit en un soul ciichA, il est fiimA A partir de i'anglo supAriour gauche, de gauche A droito, et do haut en bas. on prenant le nombre d'images nAcessairo. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 u> p^' **|j)tace in Sclicuiug:*' tXEMI'LIPIBU IN TUB CASB OF TUB LATB MAKY ANNE SOPHIA WHITEHEAD, WHO FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS ON SUNDAY, THE 7th MARCH, 1847, IN THE 2()Tii YKAK OF IlKR ACl-.. THE SUBSTANCE OF SERMONS PREACHED IN ST. JOHNS CHURCH, PORT HOPE, ON SUNDAY, MARCH Utu, 1847, BY THE REVEREND JONATHAN SHORTT, RECTOB OF THE PARISH. 'Thus, though oft dt^rs^esscd and 1 .noly, All our ffjara aro hud uido, If wo but rcineinber only iSnrh ,'!S these have lived and dijd." TORONTO: PRINTED AT THE DIOCESAN I'ltESS. M.DCCC.XLVII. \ *' Soon wilt Thou take us to Thy tranquil bower. To rest one little hour, Till Thine elect are number'd, and the grave Call Thee to come and save : Then on Thy bosom borne shall we descend, Again with earth to blend, Earth all refined with bright supernal tires. Tinctured with holy blood, and wing'd with pure desires. Meanwhile, with every son and saint of Thine Along the glorious line, Sitting by turns beneath Thy sacred feet WVU hold communion sweet. Know them by look and voice, and thank them all For helping us in thrall, For words of hope, and bright examples given To shew ibro* moonless skies that there is light in iicavcn." Keble's Easteb Eve. 1 Port Hope, IGrn March, 1847- Rentrerul and Dear Sir : In accordance with the wishes, and in the name of many loiTowing relatives and friends of the youthful and beloved member of your flock, who has been so suddenly removed, by a gracious God, from this to a better world, we respectfully request that you will kindly furnish us with a copy of the Sermon delivered by you on the occasion of her death. Endeared to the hearts of all who knew her, by the virtues and Christian graces which so conspicuously shone in her conversation and life, we feel assured that the publication of your excellent Discourse, in which her meek and quiet walk as an humble follower of her Divine Master, was truthfully portrayed, will not only be grateful and soothing to the feelings of all who now mourn the loss of one so greatly beloved, but will also benefit the whole Congrega- tion over which you are overseer, and of which she was a member and an ornament : and especially the younger portion of it, who, in the contemplation of the life and death of so bright an example, may, by God's grace, be deeply impressed with "the beauty of holiness,** and be convinced that it is not only their dnty, but their truest wisdom, to " Remember their Creator in the days of their youth." We are, Rev. and dear Sir, Your's respectfully, N. KiBCHHOFFEB, £. HiCKMAN, R. Armstrong, Chas. Hughes, F. EVATT, M. Bailey, Wm. Eraser, Chas. B^ent, R. N. WADDELIi, Davis Smart, H. GlIXETT, Wm. Sisson, H. H. Meredith, T. Turner, F. H. Burton. To the Reverend Jonathan Shortt, Rector of Port Hope. 1 UprTORY, Port Hopf., March 17th, 1847. My (lear Fn'mfls and Parishioners : ' The kind fcelingfl which have prompted your desire for the publi- cation of this Sermon, are a tribute so justly due to the memory of the departed; and the abiding benefits which you expect to result from a more permanent, and a more generally extended memento of her worth, are so fully anticipated by me also, that I cannot for a moment hesitate to comply with your request. In order to make the treatment of the subject more complete, I shall condense into one, the Sermons preached at the Morning and Evening Services. May the grace of God sanctify to the soul of every reader, this humble effort to set forth His glory by making more generally known so beautiful an example of early piety and "Peace in Relieving." I remain. My dear Friends and Parishioners, Your obliged and faithful Friend and Pastor, Jonathan Shortt. To Wm. Fraser, Esq., and others. ^--»^. A 1 » •»% u \iCi%tt in lUrUrbing^^ O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward Thee, that we loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire ; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for the Sixth Suiulay after Trinity. •• I LOVE them that love me ; and those that seek me early shall find me." Proverbs, viii. 17. Under the name of Wisdom, the Saviour addresses all mankind — " Unto you, oh men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men. Oli ye fools, be ye of an un- derstandin}^ heart." And how graciously he encourages them with assurances of his favor, " I love them that love me ; and those that seek me early shall find me." Or, as Bishop Patrick paraphrases the passage, " They that love me, are beloved of me ; and, as they will not fail to seek what they love, so they will certainly find what they studiously seek." The words rendered " seek me early" mean literally " seek me at the dawn of day ;" and are applicable to that disposition of mind wliicli led the Psalmist to say, *< I wait for the Lord, my sou! doth wait, and in his word do I hopo. My soul waitoth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning, I say, more than they that watch for the nioriiiii^." Our last thoughts at ni^ht, and our first iii the niorninfe increases their love to God. And God their Saviour loves them. To make known tlie endearing affection with which he regards his dis- ciples, he uses, in His Holy Word, every expression by which we are accustomed to manifest our love to one another ; He adopts the only language which we can comprehend : but how faintly does the utmost power of mortal tongrue serve to exhibit the Saviour's love to those who believe on Him. In Paradise, where our mental faculties and our spiritual powers will be incalculably increased, we can better understand the nature of our Lord's affection for His people; but not till the unclouded glories of the last day, tliat great and terrible day of the Lord's api earing, shall beam upon the awe-struck earth, can the soul of " the just made perfect," in its re- union to the glorified body, be able to comprehend all that is contained in " the love of Christ, which," in this workU "passeth knowledge." That we may form, however, some idea of his love to those who trust in Him, He represents Himself as looking upon them with peculiar complacency, "rejoicing over them with joy, and resting in His love, and joying over them with singing." He delights to "manifest himself" to them, "as He does not to the world," and "to make his abode with them." "He rejoices over them to do them good:" imparting all I ^Kt^^tgKI - JAr. lMSm m i' Sli l MM mmmm 11 nrerlful supplies ot' ij^raco aiul stroiifrtli to thoir souls : and onloriiiu^ nil events fur the promotion of their real welfare in time and in eternity : " We know," says the Apostle, "That all things work together for good to them that love God." He accounts them his "jewels:" and what an encouragement he gives, in the place where this expression occurs, to those who delight, in social conver- sation, to dwell upon the Saviour's love: "Then they that feared the T^ord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it: and a book of remem- brance was written before Ilim for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels:" or, as in the marginal translation, "my special treasure." And this is a rendering justified by His assurance to all His spiritual Israel, " Now there- fore, if ye will obey my voice indeed; and keep my covenant ; then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people." " He ever liveth to make interces- sion" for them; and "prepares," for their reception, heavenly "mansions," which they shall inherit in due season, in glory and felicity similar to His own. If He find that His people need to be recalled from their wan- derings; to be preserved from mistaking what is condu- cive to their true happiness; or to be prevented from "setting" their chief "affections" on created good; he sends upon them trials in token of His regard, and grii- ciously represents Himself, in these corrections, as seek- ing an entrance into their hearts : " As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and wit! sup with him, and he with me." 12 Thus the Saviour is with His disciples in life; and "in death they are not divided." Sometimes, as in the case before us, He manifests His love to younjr believers by an early advancement to that glorious state of existence for which our imperfect condition in this life is preparatory. And is there not, brethren, a special blessing in an early removal from a world of trial and sorrow, of sin and temptation? Is it not a good thing for the child of God to be "taken away from the evil to come?" For the sweet and humble violet to be transplanted to the Para- ci'se of God. The different stages of the inner spiritual life of the soul are not inseparably connected with the years of animal existence. How many, at an advanced period of life, are yet but " babes in Christ ?" And, on the other hand, so rapid is the progress of the soul towards perfec- tion, in some cases, that while yet, as it were, but in the morning of its existence, the matured "fruits of the Spirit" evidence a growth in grace, which assures the grieving survivors of those who are early called to rest ir Christ, that their sorrows need only flow for their own loss; and which, by its example, teaches them how they also may be prepared for " the inheritance of the Saints in light." As the " good seed" sown in the heart, ger- minates, in some cases, with greater quickness than in others; so is tlie harvest earlier: but it is not premature; *' When the fruit is ripe, immediately he putteth in the sickle." And is it not a happy time when the ripe grain is stored up in the granary of Paradise? Wrongly as they who use the phrase estimate the source and nature of true happiness, yet we hear, sometimes, a sort of pre- ference expressed for "a short life and a merry one:" let us, for the vain and idle frivolities of the thoughtless 13 world, substitute the peace, the cahn, the quiet oF a con- science void of offence towards God and man ; the faith which worketh by love, and keepeth the commandments; the humility which characterizes the child of God ; and can we hesitate to say of the happy possessor of these heavenly gifts, that nineteen years was long enough to remain in a state of imperfection and probation ? Shall we, in this case, fear to look upon the change from grace to glory as a mark of the Saviour's love ? May we not, by a powerfu] exercise of faith, lose sight of our own sel- fish feelings; and, considering the felicity enjoyed by " the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord," — a bliss which is beyond the reach of even "the souls of the faithful" until "after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh," — can we not even " give hearty thanks to God, for that it hath pleased Him to deliver" our beloved one "out of the miseries of this sinful world?" But if such elevation of faith is, at present, above our attainment, we can at least unite in the Patriarch's sub- missive and thankful resignation to the Divine will, and say in sincerity, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken awav; blessed be the name of the Lord." And this v,'e are better enabled to do from the certainty we feel, that if we ourselves are faithful to our "high calling of God in Christ Jesus," we shall meet her again in Paradise ; and that, even before the time when " we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of Christ's holy name, shall have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in God's eternal and everlasting glory." And while the experience of afflic- tion, which this bereavement has given to us, imparts deep sympathy and fervent earnestness to our prayer in "beseeching the Lord, of his goodness, to comfort and i 14 succour all tlioni wlio, in tliis transitory \\(o, arc in troublo, sorrow, nocil, sickness, or aTiy otiior adversity ;" with what a solemn feeling of the connection existing between ourselves on earth, and the spirits of "the dead in Christ," shall " we bless God's holy name for all His servants departed this life in Christ's faith and fear:" and how ardently shall we beseech Him " to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that, with them, we may be partakers of His heavenly kingdom." How delightful it is, brethren, to contemplate the brief but happy life of one, who, being in her infancy "regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, and made God's child by adoption and grace, was daily renewed by His Holy Spirit :" who, in the faithful and diligent use of the appointed means, "grew in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" humbly endeavoured to follow in His steps; and, like Him, "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." With her, the holy rite of Confirmation was no unmeaning ceremony: she could . faithfully answer to the solemn question put to her by the Bishop, " Do ye here, in the presence of God, and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and ac- knowledging yourselves bound to believe, and to do, all those things, which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you?" And we know, what happy evidence her subsequent character has given of the ful- filment, in her case, of the Bishop's prayer, "Almighty and everliving God, wlio hast vouchsafed to regenerate these Thy servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins; 15 strenj^tlicn them, \vc boscoch Tlice, O Lord, with the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and daily increase in tliein Thy manifold gifts of grace; the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and ghostly strength; the Spirit of knowledge and trne godliness; and fill them, O Lord, with the Spirit of Thy holy fear, now and for ever." Surely " God has defended her"with His heavenly grace, and she has continued His for ever; and has daily increased in His Holy S})irit more and more, until she has come unto His heavenlv kingdom." He, "who alone maketh us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto His Divine iNIajesty," has as- suredly answered the "supplications" of the Bishop made on her behalf, as well as that of others, " upon whom, after the example of the holy Apostles," one of whose successors he is, "he laid his hands, to certify them (by that sign) of God's favour and gracious good- ness towards them." " The Fatherly hand of God has ever been over her; the Holy Spirit has ever been with her; and has so led her in the knowledge and obedience of his word, that, in the end, she has attained everlasting life through our Lord Jesus Christ." She prized the Holy Scriptures: her Bible, marked throughout with notes, interlineations, dates, and other evidences of constant and diligent study, remains, a pre- cious legacy, to prove this. She was never inexcusably absent on any occasion on which this house of God was open for Divine Service. In her constant and regular attendance at the Lord's table she continually "renewed her strength;" being "fed, in those holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of our Saviour .Tesus Christ ; and assured thereby of His favour and goodness towards her; and that she was a 19 very member incorporate in the mystical body of Ciirist, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, and an heir through hope of His everlasting kingdom." And thus she was "assisted by God's grace to continue in that holy fellowship, and to do all such good works as He had prepared for her to walk in." Among those good works conspicuously shone her conduct in all the relations of life in which she was placed. Her parents cannot recoUact ever having had occasion to speak a single word of rebuke ; nor can any one, 1 believe, remember an instance where they could justly blame her. Nor shall we think this to be exag- gerated praise, when we consider where she looked for that aid which alone can enable us to do what is right ; and how entirely she distrusted her own unassisted strength. Papers, written for no eye but her own, which have been found in her desk, if we were at liberty to make them known, would prove that we keep within bounds in what we say. They manifest her earnest desire that "her first thoughts on waking might be of God, and that she might never lay her head on the pil- low without a heart full of gratitude for all His mercies." They shew that her time, as a precious talent, for the use and improvement of which she felt her responsibility, was portioned out in order and method, so that each hour might have its appropriate work, and that she might "never be idle for a moment, if she could possibly avoid it." One brief extract we cannot refrain from giving, 80 fully does it evince her sweet and humble spirit, and her entire reliance on that divine grace which she conti- nually sought. " But must I not ask Him to enable me to do what I have regulated for myself, that thus I may be able to give a better account of my time?— -And 17 beside tliut, to put a ri^ht spirit within me ; that I may be always kind and j^entle with my friends; ever ready to do any little thing to please and assist tl)em in any way ; and never hesitate about puttings myself out for them. — And that God will grant me strength to do this; and ever to keep Him in my thoughts ; and to trust en- tirely in Him ; is my earnest prayer. — And not to live for myself alone, but try in every way, with God's help, to overcome my selfishness, and to bend my proud spirit that I may become humble and meek, more fit to be a disciple of the lowly Jesus." Thus she gave great pro- mise of future usefulness, and of being a rich blessing to many now bereaved of her society in this world, whom let us pray that " the Father of mercies and God of all consolation" may continue to bless and comfort in the sore trial which (no doubt for their spiritual profit and increased usefulness) He has seen fit to lay upon them. Having given the highest satisfaction as a pupil in the Sunday School of this Church, from its first establish- ment under the charge of the present Minister, that institution has, for several years, enjoyed the benefit of her services as a diligent, faithful, and persevering teacher, communicating to others what she herself re- ceived from her Saviour ; and while thus endeavouring to assist in *' training up children in the nurture and ad- monition of the Lord," she found, from experience, that such employment and heavenly " charity is twice blest in giving and receiving:" she herself being taught of God while acting as His instrument in making known to those committed to her charge the saving truths of the Gospel. She was ever forward in all good works of piety and benevolence ; her time and influence were always readily enlisted in the cause of God : and her c 18 assiduous and successful labours in promoting tiic objects of The Church Society, testified that she duly recognized the claims of that excellent Institution. And now, while "she rests from her labours, her works do follow her;" and the "fruits of the Spirit, which are in all goodness, righteousness, and truth," prove the reality of her faith in Christ. How eminently "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," those evidences of being "led by the Spirit" of God, were exhibited in her brief but happy life. When did any one see her calm and placid countenance ruffled even by a passing emotion of un- amiable temper ? Ever the same in life, death made no difference there, except that we imagined (and could it have been only imagination?) that it bore the impress of Angelic happiness left by the parting spirit. As long as that fair brow was present to our view, the Holy Cross of Baptism seemed to rest upon its beautiful expanse. One of those who were privileged to watch by her side writes in these terms : — " During our beloved Mary's illness, H asked her what he should read to her, she immediately mentioned the fifty-first and twenty-third Psalms." — What a beautifully expressive choice; the first, of the deepest penitence; the other, of confident trust and love. How truly she could say, "The Lord is my Shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for Thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." — " On asking her, if she could trust all to her Saviour, she answered, * Oh, yes, though i I 19 I have temptations sometimes, still I nm quite resig^ned/ She said, *I have never done anything right.'" — And here let me again pause to mark the evidence that she was taught of God, which this heartfelt expression gives us. — " But the calm trust in her Saviour never seemed shaken. On speaking of my tender love for her, and my sorrow at the thought of losing her, she said, *Will it not be great happiness when we all meet Oiere* She asked me to comfort the beloved ones whom she was about to leave; but not one word of regret ever passed her lips, that she was taken so young, and from so many that loved her. She said, she ' could leave all and go to her Saviour.* On being asked if she could command her attention long enough to partake of the Holy Sacrament, she said, * I must,' and seemed anxious to take nourish- ment to sustain her. She said, ' I do not think I can rise up.' I said, * No, dear Mary, you must not attempt it, but try and be quite calm.' ^Yes, dear Aunt,' she said, with a sweet placid look. Blessed be God that the pre- cious loved one is in perfect happiness, and can never feel pain or sorrow more." It was her prayer, and that of others for her, that she might retain her senses to the last, and be free from dis- tracting pain, or any anticipated paroxysm: and signally were these petitions answered. Happy in the ministrations and services of those whom she truly loved, most gently was she led "through the valley of the shadow of death." The few days which elapsed from the time that serious apprehensions were entertained, witnessed no pain or suffering. Life ebbed away, like the calm summer tide, by almost imperceptible degrees; and when, after saying "1 will soon be at home," she sweetly "fell asleep in Jesus," were it not for the cessation of the pulse, one could hardly be sure that her spirit liad fled. And let me ask, brethren, in the words of an eloquent divine * of the American Church, " Wliy should human nature shrink back in dread from the path, over which the Master hath trodden? Why should we so often stand • shivering on the brink afraid to launch away ?* Why should we array the Last Messenger, who releases us from our warfare, with every attribute of terror, till the heart quails at his approach? Even from the twilight knowledge of an ancient and heathen philosophy, we may learn a better lesson. There he was represented as but the twin-brother of sleep ; as if he only called ns to a slumber deeper and longer than that which each night overtakes us. There, in the lands in which this mytho- logy prevailed, on many a mouldering tomb is still found the sculptured image of the Angel of Death, and we behold him in the form of a youth, his wings folded in repose, and his torch inverted. All is serene, peaceful and beautiful. Surely then the Christian, to whom all is certainty, may well say, * Death is swallowed up in vic- tory.' Trusting in no dim speculations, he * knows \n Whom he has believed, and that He is able to keep that which he has committed to Him against that day.' — Standing by the Cross on Calvary, the darkness rolls away from the landscape which stretches out before him, and he sees his path plainly marked. It passes indeed through the wilderness, and down into the dark valley of the Shadow of Death, and over the troubled waters of Jordan, yet he traces it up to the gates of the New Jeru- salem, — the Eternal City of his God. This, then, is his hope which should enable him to greet the Monarch of * The Rev. W. Ingraham Kip; the perusal of whose works, entitled, "The Lenten Fast," and " The Double Witness of the Church," I take thisopportanity.of strongly recommending. « *il the Toml) with a enlmness which tio earthly philosopiiy could ever f(ive. He realizes that ^ through the grave and gate of deatii lie sliall pass to his gl<»rioiis resurrec- tion, for His merits, who died, and was huried, and rose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.* " May we also "die the death of the ri;j;liteous, and may our last end be like" hers, whose departure we deplore : though we sorrow not on her account, for " precious in the sight of the Lord, is the deatli of His Saints." And now, brethren, what remains, but to exhort you to follow this dear young saint, as she followed Christ. — Her religion was a beautiful {Specimen of that " wisdom which Cometh from above, which is pure, gentle, peace- able, full of mercy and good fruits, without hypocrisy." Her's was that " meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price." She was, indeed, in the ex- pressive language of Scripture, "clothed with humility." Kind, gentle, and humble minded, she never could cause pain to any one by an expression savouring of harshness; and we would desire, therefore, in setting^ forth her example, by which, " being dead, she yet speaketh," carefully to refrain from wounding the spirit of any. Yet we cannot but remark what a rebuke her life has given to all, who, in " making provision for the flesh" exclusively, are wasting the time given them in which to "work out their salvation." And surely the feelings, partaking almost of anger and "indignation" against ourselves, which we must experience in compa- ring our life with her's ; the emotions of shame and sor- row reproaching us for our spiritual sloth and negligence, which cannot fail to be awakened within us by the con- sideration of her youthful maturity in the spiritual life, far from arousing in our minds the spirit of hateful envy) oo or any sliiulc of hiitornoss, oxiitc rutlior that solemn awe with wiiioli, w(> can ima|L(in(>, wo shouhl licar the wohIh of one who had returned from Paradise ; to warn us of the danj^er of our worhlliness, and to invito us to preparation for those blissful re<;'ioiis which she has attained through faith. When we consider how many years we have lived in this world more than were allotted to her, and yet how far she has surpassed us in runnin<^ the race for immor- tality on the course which is terminated by the crown of everlasting glory; surely we should feel rebuked and put to shame: we should earnestly pray that grace may yet be given to us to "redeem the time" we have lost; and strenuously resolve on new and more vigorous exertions, remembering that it is not by such half-hearted and wavering efforts as too easily satisfy us, that the trophies of heavenly glory are to be won. U\ in penitent convic- tion, we feel that we have hitherto lost time and oppor- tunity, let us be the more diligent to make the most of what remains. "Seek, ye the I^ord, while He may be found ; call ye upon Him, while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." But while renunding the more advanced in age of the lessons of wisdom which may be read in the life and death of this youthful saint, it is more especially fl>ose who are yet in the morning of their days to whom I would now address myself. My young friends, if you are at any time, for a moment, tempted to mix up ideas of sorrow and gloom with that of religion, think of the unvaried cidm and happiness of our dear sister's days ; and know, that though the wild exuberance of mirth, and the tumult > r •J.) of paiiNloimtc jj;au'ty, in;iv hv lorciirii to a .H|MrIt t!if»;;lil of God, yet you luivo, at it-a.^f. om* proof* hrforr yon, that "the ways of heavenly ui^fhnn are ways of plrasantnes!*) and all her patlis arc [m ate." 'J'rue it is, that the voyage of life, however hrief, is seldom unvexcd by storins; to few is voachsaled, for any lcnc him to press onward to the promised land. There his wanderings shall end, and the pilgrim staff be for ever cast aside. There he shall be at peace in the mansions of rest, with the mighty army of patri- archs and apostles, and confessors and martyrs, who have already sle})t in the faith. Cheered by a brighter mani- festation of his Master's presence than can be his lot in this world, he shall await his full reward, and the crown which shall be given him at the last day. "Thus agps shall glide by, until the history of this world is completed, and the number of the elect made up. Then, our long expected Lord shall descend : the dust of each one of the saints be collected from the four winds, united again to its former partner, as the spirit comes forth from its resting place, and all shall gather around the throne of Him whom they followed while on earth, ready to receive the sentence, ' Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord.* This shall be the Great Easteii of the Earth."* And now, brethren, I conclude, praying that God, in His infinite mercy, may grant that the lessons which He is teaching us all in this providential 'dispensation, may, by His grace, be so deeply grafted in our hearts, that no craft nor subtlety of Satan may cause them to fail of their effect. Who is there in our community to whom the striking event, which has called forth these observa- tions, has not been productive of deep and powerful emo- tion? May the grace of God so order it, that to none it * Kip's Leuteo Fast. S8 may liiive spoken in vain. If a more heavy and more home- blow is needed to arouse the negligent from their fatal dream of security, severe as it must be, it will be a mercy when it comes. And now, blessing God for the example of this dear young saint, and rejoicing in her happiness, let us give all the glory to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one infinite and eternal Jehovah, to whom be ascribed all honour, glory, might, majesty and dominion for ever and ever. Amen, "O God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies cannot be numbered ; make us, we beseech Thee, dee[>ly sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of human life ; and let Thy Holy Spirit lead ns through this vale of misery, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives: That, when we shall have served Thee in our generation, we may be gathered unto our fathers, having the testimony of a good conscience ; in the com- munion of the Catholic Church ; in the confidence of a certain faith ; in the comfort of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope; in favour with Thee our God, and in perfect charity with the world. All which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" Collect in the American Service for the Visitation of tkt Siek.