How dignified, how exalted is the Christian, even in this world. His eyes fixed on immortality, he seems, like Enoch, to walk with God, and calmly smiles at all the shocks of time. But never does religion appear with such dazzling majesty as in the closing hours of the Christian's life. Then its glorious beauty is indeed sublime. The moments, the hours were flying quickly away. A sad and solemn stillness reigned everywhere within the house, and mute sorrow was depicted on every countenance; for Leila was declining rapidly. Her cheek daily became brighter: seldom and more seldom was her light step heard among the rooms, and oftener was she found reposing on the sofa with her Bible open before her-her thin fingers separating the leaves. Or sometimes she would for a long time lie with her head resting on her hand, her eyes looking into the cerulean skies. But her thoughts were not among them: they had taken wing far above the earthly prison-house, and were wandering on the peaceful shores of the paradise of God. Happy smiles passed across her face like a sunbeam glancing amidst summer leaves: and sometimes on that countenance there rested an expression so unearthly, as to make it seem like the beamings of immortal light. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Leila's fading away was calm and very beautiful. If this were death, why was he ever dreaded by the child of God? Leila rejoiced to see him. She smiled on him lovingly, and hailed him as a friend for whose coming she had long yearned. Nor was it death. It was merely "the shadow of death." The substance had been endured for Leila by her Saviour. She knew. it, and her soul blessed him for the victory. It was a mild, golden afternoon. She was getting very near the immortal rest now, and was reclining, with her little Bible open in her hand at the closing chapters of the Revelations. "I never before felt the wondrous sublimity of this imagery and language as I have this afternoon," and she read in a slow and gentle tone:— "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold I come quickly; blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." She stopped, and seemed absorbed in her own thoughts. She was going to that glory-she stood on its verge. "Oh, what a glorious hope is ours!" shet said to her friend who was present. "Come, let us pray once more together. O, for immortal powers to And Leila prayed. It was bring heaven very near to "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."-Prov. iv. 18. OUR readers will expect a detailed account of Leila's illness and dying hours. We have already adverted to the close union which subsisted between her and Miss H- At Leila's request this young lady went to reside with her during the whole of her illness. It was a beautiful companionship: and was to both an abundant source of the purest enjoyment. Nor were they separated long. For in a few months after Leila's death her lovely friend joined her in the praises of the skies. As Miss H- -was constantly with Leila, we thought an account written by her would be much more lucid and acceptable than a fragmentary one by ourselves. She readily acceded to the desire we expressed; and by the aid of the copious entries which she had made in her journal, furnished us with the following touching portraiture of the closing weeks of Leila's life. "For some weeks previous to the death of friend, the late Miss T, her piety assumed a rich maturity and mellowness. She was evidently ripening for glory. All her reflections were made subservient to her spiritual prosperity; and to all eternity I shall have reason to bless God, that it was my privilege to listen to her deeply pious and sensible remarks. my dear In "One evening we were seated beneath the shadow of a large chestnut tree, which grew upon the lawn. the midst of a very interesting conversation she remarked, ‘I have often sat upon this seat and watched the long shadows of evening quietly descending upon the trees, and fields, and flowers. And as the shades have deepened in the blue air, I have watched the beautiful stars, as one by one they pushed aside their veils. This I have continued, until dewy night has completely spread her rich mantle, in imagination looking as though it were thickly studded with intense but soft brilliants, diamonds, and pearls, and gold. At such seasons the profound beauty and the solemn stillness have found their way to my inmost soul, and my spirit, surrounded as it was by a darkness greater than that of night, yearned for the food by which alone it could be sustained. But since the glorious beams of the Sun of Righteousness have vivified my soul, what happiness have I here experienced! Then, when I could view the starry hosts as the creation of my Father's hand— when I thought on their amazing distances, and velocities, and their numbers, which not even the first archangel can count-when I reflected on the love of their Creator, my Saviour, so great that he could lay aside his majesty and his grandeur, and suffer for me the cruel death of the cross-then, I have felt sublimely happy. These, my dear Emily, have been very delicious seasons of my existence.' She mused for a few moments: 'Look, my dear, at yonder sun. This morning he arose dim and murky, surrounded by a thick gloom; yet see how brilliantly, how calmly, how majestically he sinks to his repose. O, that this may be the |