cause the healing balm to descend, and restore the wounded spirit. Jesus stands by the weeping Mother, as she tends her sick child. He is watching, that no harm shall happen to either of you. If he sees it good to call the little sufferer to himself, he will receive his blood-bought spirit. He will comfort the bereaved Parents and heaven itself become more interesting in their view, for there we meet, to part no more. May we be daily preparing for that place, where there shall be no more sorrow nor sighing. May you find under your present circumstances, that it is better to go to the house of mourning, than the house of feasting. I am quite sure, that familiarity with sorrow is good; it improves the heart, softens the feelings, sweetens the disposition, and when humbly and thankfully acknowledged as coming from the Lord, is a happy means of our sanctification.

Knutsford,

Do not forget in your prayers—

Nov. 26, 1834.

Your Affectionate Friend,

MARY PODMORE.

LETTER V.

Miss Podmore to Miss M. N.

My dear Maria,

Knutsford, Dec. 2nd, 1834.

I cannot come and visit you in your affliction, but I can and do deeply sympathize with you, and I have taken this means of contributing my mite of consolation in your present distress. The apostle Paul tells us, "We are comforted in our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Then by experience, as well as by the Word of God, can I speak to you, and assure

you;

"The Saviour's pierced heart,

Is touched with your afflicted case

In its most tender part."

Yes, He is our Saviour: in all our afflictions he is afflicted. Lift up the eye of faith, and behold him present to pour balm into your wounded mind. Listen! and he is saying to you, "My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Every painful bereavement is to answer some wise and merciful end; for God doth not afflict willingly, or grieve the children of men; and he intends this trial to be a deep and loud call on you, to give him more devotedly your heart. At this time you will have a peculiar softness of soul. Every feeling will be melted into tenderness, and you may never have so favorable an opportunity again, of being stamped with the image of God on your soul. Oh! that you might come out of this trial, as silver from the refiner's furnace. Aim to do so; expect to do so; above all, pray that it may be sanctified to you, and it surely will; you shall yet in holiness shew forth his praise, and serve him all your spotless days.

Looking over every other loss which may be felt in the death of a Mother, you will find in it the loss of a companion. There will be times when you will feel very lonely, and sadness will seem to creep over your spirits; you will seem to want something to comfort you, something to rest upon; and just then in our loneliest and saddest hours, does Christ rise so beautifully as a rest for the weary. We need a rest of mind when it has been stripped of any earthly comfort; we need something to fill that aching emptiness that we feel. Christ says, "Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you This rest will fill our empty minds with a peace that passeth all understanding, and cheer us while we remain on earth with the hope of heaven, where we shall meet to part no more. What a mercy you have so sure a hope of meeting again. Your Mother died in peace, and is now singing the praises of Him who washed her from her sins in his blood. May God grant, that we and all we have known and loved

rest."

on earth, may have a joyful meeting there, and

gaze with rapturous awe on Jesus to all eternity. Amen.

Believe me,

Your's affectionately,

MARY PODMORE.

N. B.-The last letter serves as an additional evidence, of the kindness of Miss Podmore's heart. She sympathized with others, though herself was about to be confined to her room; and even at this time, her strength was so prostrated, that it required no small effort for her to pen such a letter.

"It matters little at what hour of day

The righteous falls asleep. Death can not come

To him untimely, who is fit to die.

The less of this cold world, the more of Heaven

The briefer life, the earlier immortality."