lights in the world." (Phil. ii. 15.) The more ready for the sickle, the more marked is the wonderful contrast, and the end how different! "The kingdom of heaven," said our blessed Lord, "is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came, and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matt. xiii. 24—30).

"The full corn in the ear is weighty." The child of God, as his graces become matured, is stablished, strengthened, and settled. He remembers the first dawning of light upon his soul,—so faint, that it was difficult to believe there was spiritual life at all. He can look back and trace the love of the Spirit, in awa

kening him from the death of sin,-in renewing his will, in subduing his temper,—and in the application of the blood of sprinkling, in many an hour of deadness, and coldness, and faint-heartedness. And now from heaven-taught experience he can say, "I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus." (Rom. viii. 37-39).

"When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." (Mark iv. 29). There are those "who come to the grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in his season." (Job v. 26). Others are cut down in early youth, in the vigour of life, such as Abijah and Josiah of old, but they were nevertheless ripe for the harvest.

"Death cannot come to him untimely

Who is fit to die"!

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." (Ps. cxvi. 15). Not one of them is lost. "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing; but should raise it up at the last day." (John vi. 39). "Not the least grain shall fall to the earth." (Amos ix. 9).

And then there is "the joy of harvest," when each ear of corn shall be safely stored away,—where no blight can enter,-no storm assail,-where there shall be no more curse.

It has been the desire of the Editor, in publishing the following Narratives, to illustrate the all-impor tant fact, that man in himself is utterly unable to move in his own conversion,-and that from first to last, it is the work of the eternal Spirit. The means used may indeed be very different, but whether it be the overpowering convictions given in answer to the prayer of faith, or the Lord speaking to the heart “in a dream, in a vision of the night," whether the work be effected by the terrors of the law, or the still small voice of the Gospel,-whether the subject of the change be the aged, or the young, the rich or the poor, the result, as it appears in these little histories, is one and the same, showing that the new creation wrought in each, was by the direct agency of the Spirit of the living God.

To those kind friends who have contributed to this little book, the Editor desires to express her grateful thanks. All original contributions, whether in prose or poetry, are indicated by an asterisk*. To those also who have permitted the republication of narratives, most of which are little known, except in par

ticular localities, the Editor begs to tender her sincere acknowledgments.

She now prayerfully commends the work to Him, without whose blessing no labour is profitable, with the earnest hope, that some who read it may be led to follow those "who through faith and patience now inherit the promises." (Heb. vi. 12). Blessed are they who are the garnered “ears of the spiritual harvest;" but unspeakably awful is the case of those, who at the coming of the Lord Jesus, will have to cry, "the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!" (Jer. viii. 20). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. vi. 2).