relaxes and enfeebles the spirit; principle braces all circumstances, "she endured as seeing him who and invigorates it. Passion is dark, stormy, and vex- is invisible." By faith she waxed valiant in fight, atious, like the troubled sea which cannot rest; prin- and out of weakness was made strong. By faith ciple, like the rocks of our shore, stands out the bul- she confessed she was not her own, but that she wark of the soul in the night of adversity. Pas- was bought with a price; and. that it became her sion is the voice of that old serpent, ever the most not to please herself, but to please Him who had dangerous when most beguiling; principle is the graciously accomplished her redemption. And voice of God in the soul of man, calling him off what is there may not be effected by such sentifrom the enchantments of earth and sense to comments and principles, not merely acknowledged to munion and confidence in Him, without whom the be true, but framed in the heart as the motives of strongest are weak, and the best protected insecure action? in the hour of trial!

CHAPTER XIV.

PIETY. 1813-14.

I CANNOT persuade myself to close a period so strikingly developing the moral energies of my sister's character, without distinctly remarking that they were created and sustained by the influence of genuine piety. As religion had refined her mind and exalted her tastes in the day of peaceful enjoyment, so it had fortified her heart in the time of calamity. She was enabled to resolve on a line of conduct best adapted to her deliverance by the power of principle; and principle derived its existence and force from the higher power of godliness. Indeed, these two are inseparable; and there would be little necessity for insisting on their union, were it not that an attempt is constantly made to divide them, by many who would fain be thought to admire the offspring while they repudiate the pa

rent.

If it is of importance to trace these victorious exercises of mind, to the energy of real piety, it is at least of equal practical importance to inquire by what means, piety itself, was nourished to so much energy. This inquiry will necessarily lead to a brief but, it may be hoped, profitable notice of Martha's devotional habits, as they were particularly connected with this period, and generally with the previous and subsequent periods of her life.

Martha sought to cherish the work of personal piety by frequent and secret prayer. She knew whence every good thought and every holy desire proceeded; and that prayer was only applying for them at their proper source. If prayer was regarded as a medium of communicating her wants, it was likewise considered as an important means of grace, for the promotion of every devout affection. It brought her into audience with the Being she most revered and loved; and lifted her spirit above earthly anxieties. It sweetened her mercies, lightened her burthens, and sanctified to her the various allotments of life.

Apart from the share she had in domestic worship, she was accustomed to engage in prayer twice in the course of the day. Usually, these exercises were observed as early in the morning and evening as was compatible with other duties; that, in the one case, her first thought might be rightly engaged, and in the other, her devotions might not be postponed to an hour, in which the body and mind would be too fatigued and heavy properly to regard them. In these devotions, her prayers were not only mental, they were oral likewise; she chose to give a regular and distinct utterance to her desires, as she thought it assisted the clearness of her conceptions, and prevented her from running into a loose and careless manner in so solemn an engagement.

It is readily admitted that, without the presence of piety, an individual might recover herself from similar circumstances of trial. The temptation might not fix on the peculiar weaknesses of her nature; and vanity, pride, resentment, or insensibility might raise her above it; and she would be safe, till exposed to that ensnarement which better accorded with the special frailties of her nature.But Martha was assailed at once where she was weakest. There was no contrary reigning passion to oppose evil to the invading evil; and yet she overcame. Now, though a person may conquer some one sin without giving any evidence of real piety, because that sin may be subdued by a stronger corruption; yet if he is enabled to conquer his constitutional infirmities and "easily besetting sins," But although Martha found it desirable to mark he furnishes, not merely proof, but the very highest her devotions by time and form, her spirit was not proof of piety. It is not one selfish propensity over-limited by the one or the other. Prayer was not to her coming another; it is every selfish propensity, the a cold duty, to which conscience occasionally drove mightiest and the dearest, vanquished and led cap-her; it was not local, it was not verbal, it was not tive by a principle proves one's self, and distinct a painful and artificial act; it was the breath of her from one's self. This is self-denial; and this is the very essence of all religion.

Independently on what is possible, it is certain in Martha's case that the progress and triumph of principle is to be referred entirely to religious influence. This might be fairly inferred from every thing in her history and character; but it was also the subject of her frequent, explicit, and grateful acknowledgment. Religion gave her light to see the extent of her dangers; and courage to contend with them; and hope to anticipate brighter prospects; and benevolence to turn from her own anxieties, and interest herself in the good of others.— Religion brought her feeble and erring spirit into communion with Deity, and taught her to lean on the arm of Omnipotence, to submit to the will of a wise and infinite Sovereignty, and to lay hold of that righteousness and those promises which are "unto all and upon all them that believe." She believed; and "this was the victory that overcame even her faith." By faith," which is essentially a disposition to serve God, and trust in him under

soul habitually and imperceptibly ascending towards Him who inspired it. It may be said of her as the Psalmist said of himself-she gave herself unto prayer. The spirit of prayer attended, and fed upon, every thing in which she was engaged. Seldom did she give away a tract, or relieve a want, or discharge a common duty, without inward and almost unconscious prayer; and if serious engagements were before her, they were made the subject of especial supplication.

The life of piety and prayer was sustained by reading and meditation. The kind of reading adopted was in harmony with the end proposed-it was strictly devotional. The Scriptures were read in their connection; and their impression was supported by some of our best pieces of experimental divinity, and the biography of eminently pious persons.

This reading was digested and made effectual by meditation, an exercise in which she had great delight. It was conducted in the same spirit; and her reflections were not allowed to become discursive

ship, which she could consistently embrace. To go into the house of God, to mingle with the people of God, to worship the perfections of God, and to listen to the word of God, these were among her highest pleasures-pleasures which never cloyed-pleasures which increased the appetite for them by enjoyment.

or speculative. She did not seek, at these seasons, | to make fresh acquisitions to her knowledge; but to apply what she already knew with more force to her conscience, and to entertain it with greater warmth in her heart. Her thoughts dwelt, therefore, on the elements and first principles of divine truth; on her sinfulness and demerit; on her privileges and obligations; on the excellence of the gos- The Sabbath was to her a delight; honorable, pel, and the unspeakable love of her Redeemer; and she honored it. She entered on it with an air on the vanity of time, and the awfulness of an ap- of serene cheerfulness, which is not only compatible proaching eternity. That these and similar senti- with, but the fruit of, seriousness. Every thing of ments might never be absent from her, she usually a worldly nature, that could be done previously to charged her memory, at the opening of each day, its arrival was done; there was no bustle, no conwith some short passages from an inspired or other fusion, no needless provision for the flesh. In atwriter, which accorded with them, as a motto for her tending the public services of the day, it was a point thoughts in the intervals of occupation which might with her to be in time. She considered that it was She considered herself to have derived a duty she owed to herself, to her fellow-worshipgreat advantage, and redeemed much time, by this pers, and to the Being she professed to honor and plan; and there can be no doubt that it contributed worship; and that she might not fail in it, she geneto save her from treating with levity, as many do, rally arranged to arrive a few minutes before the the first and simple lessons of religion, which in-service commenced, a practice which she often deed, like our common and daily bread, are by far named as highly beneficial to herself. the most valuable portion of whatever knowledge we may afterward attain.

arise.

Her manner and temper were equally exemplary. There was no irreverent posture, no vacant countePrayer and meditation were sustained by self-nance, no eye wandering from pew to pew, person examination. She could not meditate without look-to person, and dress to dress. She did not attend ing further into her own heart; nor could she pray these public exercises to see and be seen, or to hear without the guilt of hypocrisy, unless she inquired and criticise, or to trifle and be amused. On enterinto her present wants. More or less she habituated ing the temple, she considered herself at once enherself to this at the close of each day; she " com-gaged with adorable and omniscient Deity, who muned with her own heart, and was still." She had promised his presence to his humble worshipcalmly reviewed the motives, the temper, the ac-pers: she was anxious to sit at the feet of her ditions of the day, that she might make sincere con- vine Instructer, and to carry on a large and profitfession, and exercise future watchfulness. able commerce with the heavenly world.*

The object she endeavored to keep distinctly before her in these examinations, was the reality and the progress of personal piety. She thought that the temptation of the present time is to neglect it; that if our forefathers erred in preferring the enjoyments of the closet to the claims of the world, we were exposed to the more dangerous error of losing all relish for the quiet duties of retirement, in the excitement and bustle of our numerous public religious engagements. She therefore was jealous over herself, lest in attempting to keep the vineyard of others she should be found to have neglected her

own.

To assist her in preventing all self-deception on this most vital subject, she formed her judgment of the state of piety from what it was in retirement alone. She considered that all spiritual declensions began in the closet; and that, therefore, they might be earlier detected by seeking them there. She knew that, in social religious services, manifold | considerations-novelty, taste, vanity, party-spirit, worldly interest-might create a factitious relish for them; but that in the closet, where the world was shut out, where there was no eye to see, no ear to listen but God's, the heart was liable to no such deception. Whatever, therefore, might be the strength of her emotion, or the height of her joy in public engagements, she allowed them to plead nothing in favor of her real state of mind, if they left her to carry to her closet a heart cold and indifferent, without humility and without gratitude.

But although Martha would not derive the test of her progress from her regard to the more social services of religion, she was far from undervaluing them; and her devotedness to these public means of grace, must be named as contributing instrument ally to her advancement in piety. Indeed, her uniform and lively attachment to the ordinances of religion was strikingly discovered in her whole deportment. I believe it may most truly be said, that throughout her Christian walk, she did not lose by negligence, or the want of properly economizing her time, one opportunity of attending divine wor

In this elevation of mind, the minister in word and doctrine was not slighted or forgotten; his office and character were appreciated, as every faithful pastor would desire his charge to think of them. He was not in danger of being idolized as a novelty, and finally cast away as a worn-out toy. She did not look at him as a performer, nor listen to him as an orator. She wanted not to be delighted, but to be edified; not to be made acute, but to be made holy by his ministrations. She sought by his offices, to be introduced to his Master; to be fed on the bread of life, and the water of life, and to know more of the will of her Saviour, in its testamentary bequests and sacred obligations. If the minister was proposing the same objects to himself, she "esteemed him very highly in love for his work's sake;" and in proportion as that work filled his heart and influenced his labors, she was concerned to confide in his instructions, to pray for his succor, to sympathize in his trials, and, by any means in her power, to promote his honor, comfort, and usefulness.

If such conduct as is here briefly specified sprang from piety, it will be seen, by a re-action common to good and bad principles, it also greatly advanced the work of piety. If a loose and partial attendance on public ordinances has its advantages, what must be their influence when attended in the spirit and the punctuality now described! And one cannot avoid the reflection, that if every member of our congregations were thus to fill his proper place in

*These and some subsequent remarks might seem needless in connection with such a character as the writer is describing, were it not that one is called, so frequently called, to observe habits grow on persons of acknowledged piety and conscientiousness, which disfigure their profession, and which, if they could rightly perceive, they would not in the least approve. The young should be strictly cautious of sliding imperceptibly into habits and compliances which, if they should be harmless to themselves, are indecorous in the eyes of others

the proper time, and with a becoming temper, our as- | appearance or shadow of evil. To resist her enesemblies would present a very different picture of my, she fled from him, well knowing that to parley order and quiet loveliness. One might hope then, was to be fascinated and overcome. Thus it was that the spirit of solemnity would pervade our that the flame of piety lived and brightened in its sanctuaries, and assist our devotions at the footstool own element, and was not rashly exposed to every of the Eternal; and that the spirit of conviction counteracting influence. It was not the flower of would more frequently seize the casual visiter, and the field, unprotected from every rude foot or raconstrain him "to fall down and worship God!" venous animal; it was the flower of the garden, Martha's pious dispositions were increased by her hedged about with thorns, screened from the biting constant endeavor to improve all events so as to blast, cherished by a watchful hand, and living unstrengthen them. To those who look for them, such der the most genial heat and gentlest dews of Heaevents are commonly to be found. Martha, although ven. her circumstances were happily appointed, was al- Nor can this chapter be dismissed without obways meeting with something, which she thought serving that affliction was undoubtedly among the might be consecrated to these purposes. If disap-means which promoted the work of piety. If Martha pointment arose, she impressed on her mind the was supported beneath her afflictions of body and lessons of resignation; if success, she urged her- mind by the hand of piety, piety, in return, was self to additional gratitude. When eminent piety advanced by her afflictions. Trial and suffering stood out before her, she tasked herself to copy it; are to the spirit what exercise is to the corporeal and the evils she saw daily arising from unholy frame; none are healthy or vigorous without them. and ungoverned tempers, set her especially to watch Affliction, of some class or other, is indispensable over, and seek the subduction of her own. to our welfare in the present state; and the Christian is "chosen in affliction," preserved by affliction, purified by affliction, "perfected by suffering."

She was particularly affected, during the period which it is my object to illustrate, by the evident declension of some young persons from the ways of godliness, of whom she had cherished the best expectations. They had started nearly with herself in the profession; they had run well; she had hoped to pass with them to the goal: but they were hindered; they were drawn aside by the ensnarements of error, or by the love of the present world. She was very deeply affected by such occurrences. She humbled herself on account of them, confessing that she was as liable to err and to fall, and praying not only for them, but for herself, that she might never be seduced by Satan, or any of his devices, by the world, or any thing that is in the world. Thus it was, that the failings of others promoted her dependance and security, as we see a man urged to a timely repair of his mansion, from witnessing the ruinous effects of dilapidation in the dwelling of his neighbor.

Martha was now becoming a powerful instance of the happy effects of sanctified affliction. It enabled her to form a juster estimate of life, of herself, and of all things. It called into early exercise her submission and patience. It gave increased energy to acts of faith, and reality to its existence. She had trusted in the Lord, and had been delivered; she had rested on him, and had been supported; she had looked to him, and had been enlightened; she had rejoiced in him, and had been happy; and she now felt towards him as a friend, who is not only believed to be faithful, but who has been tried, and found to be so. Prayer was the dearer, from its having so often given vent, and brought relief to her sorrows; and meditation the more inviting, since it had frequently borne her on its wings above sublunary vexation. The world was the more vain, from her experience of its utter insufficiency in the In connection with these remarks it should be ob-hour of need; and Heaven the more charming, served, that Martha sought the advance of piety in her heart by the jealous avoidance of whatever was injurious to its interests. I speak not now of worldly amusements and worldly fellowship; these are forbidden; and the allusion is not to what is expressly forbidden, but to what is uncongenial and inexpedient. And in judging of these qualities, she was not governed by the opinion of others so much as by her own experience. If any thing was found prejudicial to her, that was reason enough for avoiding it, though to others it should be wholesome and nutritive. Of course her judgment was called to pronounce on things innumerable as they arose; but it may be desirable to state, that she was convinced, from observing their effects on others, that anger, levity, and Sabbath-day visiting; idle gossiping, wordy disputation, and party spirit; excess of foreign engagements, and a desultory occupation of time; association with those who held their profession in a formal and worldly spirit; and the perusal of books of light and trifling character, professedly moral, but not in accordance with the pure morality of revelation, were eminently unfriendly to the exercise and growth of sterling piety, and had commonly led to serious defection from the paths of godliness.

Martha was not even content in shunning these; it was her concern to avoid whatever might possibly affect her, as she concluded these would. She never desired to occupy debatable ground, or to dwell on the borders of good and evil. That worldly question, How far may I go and be safe? never arose to her lips; she rather inquired, How far may I retire, and be consistent? She shunned the very

from its having stood in direct contrast with the deceitful and fleeting and shadowy forms of this present life. She could say emphatically, that "it was good for her that she had been afflicted." Tribulation had wrought patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope made her not ashamed, because the love of God was shed abroad on her heart by the Holy Ghost, which was given unto her.

CHAPTER XV.
RELAXATION. 1814.

MARTHA returned with me from C- to her home, very much at ease in her mind, and considerably invigorated in bodily health. She cheerfully renewed her attention to those pursuits which have been described, and continued, through this winter, the life and joy of her relatives and connections.

But the flame of life and love burnt too ardently for the frail vessel which contained it. Amid so many opportunities of showing kindness, of mitigating wo, and instructing ignorance, it was nearly impossible to prevent her doing too much, and, what is even more prejudicial to a weakly frame, sympathizing too much. It was the only subject upon which her family held a serious controversy with her, and often was it revived by the evening fireside. Frequently she would see serious concern settle in her father's countenance on detecting her real exhaustion under assumed sprightliness, and, touched by it, would embrace him affectionately.

Ah, my dear child," he would say, sighing, and

returning the embrace, "this is wrong—very | keep, more or less, a journal for you. After some wrong!"