with me all day, so I could not write. Tuesday came, I was weak and languid, and could make no effort. Wednesday came, and now being better in health and nothing to interrupt me, I was determined that procrastination should not steal away my time, but I would begin what I felt to be a duty. I can assure you, I now feel it to be a pleasure; so we shall find in every case, that real pleasure follows close on the heels of duty, whether those duties are owing to God, our fellow-creatures or ourselves.

I am trying to think, what subject would be likely to be most useful and pleasing to you-now I can not think of any thing more suitable, than a few words of encou

ragement, in your present busy scene, to keep close to prayer. You may be so barrassed in your accumulated business, and so tried, that you may unhappily give way to warmth of temper. But let no feeling of condemnation, keep you away from your Saviour—tell him all, yes all that tries you. If you take only five

minutes, if you truly desire to be taught of God-he will hear you, he will help you, and

will enable you to say,

"Calm on tumult's wheels I sit,

Midst busy multitudes alone."

This life is a state of trial and discipline. God might have so created our minds, and have so ordered all the circumstances of life, that every thing might have gone on, smoothly and calmly. But infinite wisdom has filled life with difficulties, he has given our minds susceptibilities, powers and energies, and put us on a state of discipline for our improvement. Some trials shew us, that we have faults in temper, or that we are deficient as to patient perseverance: others prove that we are wanting in decision of character, and that our confidence in God's providence is very weak, and that our trust in the Redeemer is too superficial. If with respect to these defects, we are led to use more prayer, and become more resolved, to keep up

a daily watch over sin, and renew our pious resolutions, then our particular trial becomes our greatest blessing. O may your trials in common life, and my afflictions from the more immediate hand of God, perform all their high commission in us. May they be means of purifying our hearts, and making us meet for heaven, by weaning our affections from the world.

We have a description of Heaven, that appears to me sufficient to invigorate us in the greatest mental distress : "And God himself shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, neither shall sorrow or sighing or pain be any more, for the former things are done away." Courage then, let us march boldly on, let us continue to look to the great Captain of our salvation, and travel on towards Mount Zion: we shall soon attain to the holy and eternal rest of God's people. Let us now then give God our affections, and prize our spiritual interests above all things;

may we have the abiding witness of God's Spirit in us, and our life be hid with Christ

in God.

Believe me to be

Yours Affectionately,

MARY PODMORE.

LETTER II.

Miss Podmore to Miss H. B.

My dear Friend,

I am just now engaged in doing

some work that I have laid aside for a long time, and therefore you must excuse me dining with you, but I hope to be at tea. This you must not attribute to coldness or a want of esteem, for I assure you, it is owing to neither. At present, talking is so irksome, that I seek

to be alone as much as I can; but when I can

converse, I will come oftener. Mr. H. last night, preached us a profitable sermon. I hope those who heard it would inwardly digest it, and not forget when the time of temptation comes, what we then felt to be true. May you and I have the faith, that overcomes the world. If we see, that we are too like the world, in such a trifling thing as dress, how does it behove us, to examine our dispositions, manners and tempers. I feel wanting in all these, as to the marks of a child of God, but I am beginning afresh.-May we both press forward to those things that are before, even to the mark of the prize of our high calling: this is the prayer of,

Your Affectionate Friend,

MARY.

Monday, Aug. 11, 1834.