in her mind. She then said, 'What beauty! what grandeur! and I can use it as my own language. I know whom I have believed. Glory be to my Saviour! He is with me now; and, though my flesh and my heart fail, yet he is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.'

"Although, sometimes, she suffered severe pain, yet not one look of peevishness, even for a moment, sat upon her countenance; nor did a word of murmuring, or fretfulness, ever escape her lips. Tears of gratitude would fill her eyes, and she would exclaim, ‘Thank you, thank you; you are very kind!' at the very slightest marks of regard or attention manifested either by her friends or attendants. Hers was a lovely Christianity! My petition is, that her mantle may descend upon me.

"The closing scene drew on apace; for, it was evident to all that she must soon die; indeed, she knew it herself; and, therefore, she began to give final directions respecting the disposal of certain matters. This was three days before her death. After sending some substantial mementoes of her love and regard to those families on her visiting list, she turned her attention to her family and personal friends. Having expressed most of her desires concerning these, she requested that her writing-desk might be placed near her. It was done. Unlocking it, she took out of it a number of elegant Bibles. Precious books!' she exclaimed, as she clasped them to her throbbing bosom. O, precious books! would I had read you more!' Presenting one to her maternal aunt, who was present, she said, 'Do accept this token of my love for you, and this letter,

which some time ago I wrote for you; and, as you read it, may the Spirit of God lead your heart to those blissful fountains of repose which have made me so happy. You believe, my dear aunt, that I am quite happythat I have no fear of death-that I am going to heaven-do you not?"

"I cannot doubt it.'

“Well, then, it is all through the merits of my Lord Jesus Christ. His death atoned for my sins. I shall soon be with him for ever. Then, my dear aunt, will you promise me that my dying request, that you will read these Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, shall be granted?' Her aunt assented. 'Thank you; you make me very happy; and I pray that the God whom I serve, will of his mercy, enlighten your understanding, so that you may perceive the truth. I am tired now; I must rest a little.'

"In the eye which is lighted up by the fever of consumption, there is an expression which those who have seen it can never forget, and which those who have not seen it can never imagine.

"How beautiful she looked as she peacefully reposed upon the white pillow! Her bright eyes, that were wont to glow with the very soul of animation, inclosed within their snowy lids, and their long lashes shading her marble countenance, which beamed with innocence and love. I felt in love with the beautiful clay, and almost wished that my own summons from mortality to immortality were as near.

"Reviving, she said, 'I can say but little more.' Then, putting aside several Bibles for as many of her relatives, and a letter with each; 'Let these be given,

with my dying love, to those to whom they are directed Say, too, I most earnestly beg of each to read them, and pray over them, and to obtain all possible help to a knowledge of the Christian religion. And tell them, that with my latest breath, I testified, Christ is precious; that he was with me-pre-eminently with mewhile passing through the valley of the shadow of death, and that through faith in Christ, I was victorious over death and the grave, and died in full, perfect assurance of eternal bliss. But be sure of this, tell them plainly, that it was all through the death of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now I must repose. 'Tis almost finished!' Her articulation of these precious sentences was painfully interrupted, so that, to say them all, occupied her some minutes.

"The following day she requested that pen and ink might be brought to her. Affectionately clasping her Bible, she looked once more upon those parts which she had marked as having given her special encouragement and enjoyment; then, being supported, she took the pen in her dying hand, and tremulously and disjointedly traced upon the fly-leaf the last words she ever wrote: 'Christ is heaven!'"

CHAPTER XV.

LEILA'S DYING HOURS-THE CLOSING SCENE.

"O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory ?"

"ON the morning of the day on which Leila died, she said, 'It will soon be finished. Tell my dear father to come here.' He was called, but was so painfully affected, that for some minutes he could not speak to her! What a scene! Friends weeping-the youthful Christian, in heavenly composure, awaiting the solemn moment of separation from the body. Surely it was the spontaneous outburst of every heart, 'Is this death? Can all this holy joy and peace be death? Oh! then, let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like hers! As I looked upon her placid countenance, I exclaimed exultingly, 'O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?' Gushing sobs broke upon the awful stillness. Oh, the luxury of such tears!-tears flowing from the most sacred emotions of the soul. Let me attempt no remark upon these heavenly breathings.

"Voltaire laughed at Christianity-he mocked at the 'madness of believing in the gospel.' Did he ever see a Christian die? Did he ever witness this tangible evidence of the value of religion in the most awful moment of life? Oh, never! never! The chamber of the dying saint is a shrine at which the boldest blasphemer must bow in homage to the religion of Jesus.

"Her father was weeping. Do not grieve for me, my dear papa,' she said, soothingly. If you are faithful to God, you will soon be happy again with me in heaven.'

666 'Then, my precious treasure, you are not deceived! You feel that your religion fully supports you in death?'

"O yes! O yes! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil-his rod— and-his- she could proceed no further. Her father, bending with grief, retained her hand in his.

"In a little while she gathered strength: 'Father,' she continued, 'you love me dearly, do you not?' My child do not speak so to me; you know you are the very soul of my

existence.'

"Will you grant me one request-a dying request?' "What is it? You know I will not deny you!'

"It is this—that you will never again doubt Jesus my Saviour; but that you will begin to love and serve him. O, think, my dear father, what he has done for me! Read the New Testament,' and she looked inquiringly.

666

My dear, I have begun to read it. I have seen that your religion must be true. I never expected to witness a death like yours, my daughter. I have begun to pray; you pray too, that God will help me to follow you to heaven. I believe, my dear-I confess to you and all present that I believe-in Jesus.'

"The sudden revolution of feeling was too great for her weak frame. She was just able to articulate, 'Blesand then lay exhausted.

sing-praise

"On recovering, she slowly reached her Bible, and in faltering accents said, 'My dear papa, I am dying-you