adoption into the family of God, by showing a conformity to the image of Christ, and by walking “religiously in good works;” she trusted that, in this path of faith and obedience, she should “at length, by God’s mercy, attain to everlasting felicity.”

I had the spiritual charge of another parish, adjoining to that in which I resided.  It was a small district, and had but few inhabitants.  The church was pleasantly situated on a rising bank, at the foot of a considerable hill.  It was surrounded by trees, and had a rural, retired appearance.  Close to the churchyard stood a large old mansion, which had formerly been the residence of an opulent and titled family; but it had long since been appropriated to the use of the estate as a farm-house.  Its outward aspect bore considerable remains of ancient grandeur, and gave a pleasing character to the spot of ground on which the church stood.

In every direction the roads that led to this house of God possessed distinct but interesting features.  One of them ascended between several rural cottages, from the sea-shore, which adjoined the lower part of the village street.  Another winded round the curved sides of the adjacent

hill, and was adorned both above and below with numerous sheep, feeding on the herbage on the down.  A third road led to the church by a gently rising approach, between high banks, covered with young trees, bushes, ivy, hedge-plants, and wild flowers.

From a point of land which commanded a view of all these several avenues, I used sometimes for a while to watch my congregation gradually assembling together at the hour of Sabbath worship.  They were in some directions visible for a considerable distance.  Gratifying associations of thought would form in my mind, as I contemplated their approach, and successive arrival within the precincts of the house of prayer.

One day, as I was thus occupied, during a short interval previous to the hour of Divine service, I reflected on the joy which David experienced, at the time he exclaimed: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.  Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the Lord” (Psa. cxxii. 1-4).

I was led to reflect upon the various blessings

connected with the establishment of public worship.  “How many immortal souls are now gathering together, to perform the all-important work of prayer and praise—to hear the Word of God—to feed upon the Bread of Life!  They are leaving their respective dwellings, and will soon be united together in the house of prayer.  How beautifully does this represent the effect produced by the voice of ‘the Good Shepherd,’ calling his sheep from every part of the wilderness into his fold!  As these fields, hills, and lanes are now covered with men, women, and children, in various directions, drawing near to each other, and to the object of their journey’s end: even so, many ‘shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God’” (Luke xiii. 29).

Who can rightly appreciate the value of such hours as these?—hours spent in learning the ways of holy pleasantness and the paths of heavenly peace—hours devoted to the service of God and of souls; in warning the sinner to flee from the wrath to come; in teaching the ignorant how to live and die; in preaching the Gospel to the poor; in healing the broken-hearted; in declaring “deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind.”  “Blessed is

the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.  In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.”

My thoughts then pursued a train of reflection on the importance of the ministerial office, as connected in the purposes of God with the salvation of sinners.  I inwardly prayed that those many individuals whom He had given me to instruct, might not, through my neglect or error, be as sheep having no shepherd, nor as the blind led by the blind; but rather that I might, in season and out of season, faithfully proclaim the simple and undisguised truths of the Gospel, to the glory of God and the prosperity of his Church.

At that instant, near the bottom of the inclosed lane which led to the churchyard, I observed a friend, whom, at such a distance from his own home, I little expected to meet.  It was the venerable Dairyman.  He came up the ascent, leaning with one hand on his trusty staff, and with the other on the arm of a younger man, well known to me, who appeared to be much gratified in meeting with such a companion by the way.

My station was on the top of one of the banks

which formed the hollow road beneath.  They passed a few yards below me.  I was concealed from their sight by a projecting tree.  They were talking of the mercies of God, and the unsearchable riches of his grace.  The Dairyman was telling his companion what a blessing the Lord had given him in his daughter.  His countenance brightened as he named her, and called her his precious Betsy.

I met them at a stile not many yards beyond, and accompanied them to the church, which was hard by.

“Sir,” said the old man, “I have brought a letter from my daughter: I hope I am in time for Divine service.  Seven miles is now become a long walk for me: I grow old and weak.  I am very glad to see you, sir.”

“How is your daughter?”

“Very poorly, indeed, sir: very poorly.  The doctors say it is a decline.  I sometimes hope she will get the better of it; but then again I have many fears.  You know, sir, that I have cause to love and prize her.  Oh, it would be such a trial; but the Lord knows what is best.  Excuse my weakness, sir.”

He put a letter into my hand, the perusal of which I reserved till afterwards, as the time was nigh for going into church.

The presence of this aged pilgrim, the peculiar reverence and affection with which he joined in the different parts of the service, excited many gratifying thoughts in my mind; such as rather furthered than interrupted devotion.