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present circumstances, should continue long with- | to think little of her own ease in seeking their
out some efforts of usefulness. So far from it, that good and that of their children.
in the midst of her affliction she was devising
means of accomplishing her best desires; and as
her pains were alleviated, she arose to put them in

execution.

Her recovery, however, was of so very partial a kind, that it left her hopeless of entering again on those extensive plans in this neighborhood which had formerly blended so much personal gratification with the endeavor to do good. But these were the more readily given up at the call of Providence, as it would supply her with an occasion to practise self-denial; an exercise she thought herself backward to perform, but one which few have been enabled to perform so readily or so extensively.

Yet, accustomed as she had been to move in a larger circle, she calculated little on the result of her present confined and crippled exertions. Duty she had taught herself to consider was hers, events were God's; she determined cheerfully to do what she could, commending her feeble service to Him who can command success. And the issue furnished her with an important lesson; that God, in the very act of weakening our energies and limiting our labors, is designing to make them effectual. The fact is, that such feebleness of effort is often overruled to give better dispositions to what we do; and, after all, it is the disposition at which God looks, and by which the human heart is influenced. Martha's first attention was directed to the children she had been accustomed to instruct; and, as she could not now go to them, she invited those who were sufficiently near to come to her. This invitation was so well received, that she was quickly surrounded by a class as large as she could manage advantageously. She gave her instructions to these children once or twice in the week, and generally sought to do it in the absence of any witness.She felt with Mr. Cecil, that to be at liberty in talking with children, we must talk with them alone. It is, perhaps, sufficient commendation of the method she adopted to say, that, although the attention of her little pupils was chiefly employed on religious subjects, they always came to her lessons with punctuality and eagerness.

Through the children she still had access to their parents; and that she might make the best use of this, she formed a little library of well-chosen books, illustrative of domestic temper and economy, as well as of divine truth; and by lending these books as rewards to her scholars, she kept them circulating in their families with the strongest inFrequently ducements to regard their contents. the book so lent was, to express the sense of gratitode, returned not by the child, but by the mother, who would enlarge in simple language on the parts which had interested her thoughts. When this effect followed the arrangement, Martha deemed it quite successful; it gave her an opportunity of intercourse which she knew how to improve, and which the poor are generally willing to embrace, when they are treated respectfully, and they can discover a friendly concern for their happiness.

As her strength permitted, Martha went abroad into the hamlet; and sometimes, with the help of Maria's arm, beyond it; to try, as she used to say, Her difficulty in walking "to do some good." made a seat often necessary to her; and she was now so well known and so much beloved in the vieinity of her dwelling, that every cottage-door was open for her relief. Her affliction, therefore, which limited her exertions, gave her more free access to the neighborhood, and imparted more weight to her conversations. Those who were the witnesses of her sufferings could not avoid being impressed with her uniform cheerfulness, and her readiness 15*

The force of these impressions would sometimes discover themselves in the most simple, and therefore affecting manner. If indisposition, or the weather, had confined Martha for an unusual time, it would assemble a little levee of kind inquirers. The latch of the door would be gently raised during intervals of the morning, and the head of the child, or the matron, or the grandam, would present itself with the inquiry, so as to show a real anxiety to hear of her welfare, and yet to shun any thing like intrusion. In the leisure part of the day she would have to receive some more regular visits from those who, by their age or other circumstance, thought they might claim this privilege. All these worthy villagers would evince, in various ways, their sympathy. One was quite sure, "that while Miss Reed cared so much about others, she did not care enough about herself;" another thought that she would sit much more comfortable in her easy chair than in any other she could possibly have; another imagined that some little nicely she could prepare would just please her palate; and a fourth was certain, that if she would take her favorite medicine, it would soon cure her. And these remarks were seldom allowed to fall to the ground; without shaping them into a promise, or waiting for a formal consent, they were usually followed by some little tribute of kindness beyond what their words had given reason to expect.

These sentiments of sincere esteem prevailed more generally than could be readily supposed. I recollect, somewhat earlier than the period on which I am dwelling, I could not exactly distinguish the house of my sister's residence without inquiry. I went into a small shop in the hamlet to gain information. An elderly woman, of a very notable and good-natured appearance, was within. I asked her if she knew where Miss Reed lived?

66

She hesitated; her name was not familiar to her. -'s?" I continued. "Miss Reed, at Mrs. D"At Mrs. D- -'s! Oh yes, sir, yes, sir; it's the "for I know good young lady you mean, I dare say, sir." Ah, I dare say it is," I replied; Miss Reed is a good young lady." "Indeed she is, sir!" she said, satisfied now that we were speaking of the same person, "and we all call her so about here."

It was really matter of fact, that Martha's character had identified itself more completely in the minds of these people by some such appellative as this, than by her own proper name.

Nothing is more painful to the truly Christian mind than to find that we may win the affections of others towards ourselves, and yet fail in raising them to divine and uncreated excellence. No one could be further from undervaluing the esteem shown to her than Martha; but she had sought a higher object, and, if this was to be lost, all comparatively would be lost. And it was just here she had reason to fear disappointment. Towards herself, the conduct of these villagers was more than she desired; but towards religion, it was far from giving her satisfaction. There was a willingness to hear her remarks on it, but there was wanting the discovery of it in the spirit and practice as a living principle. They were not at a considerable distance either from church or chapel; and yet it was not easy to prevail on them to attend the worship of God on the Sabbath day; some excuse was always found or invented to satisfy themselves. Her compassionate spirit was stirred within her when she looked round on persons so full of regard to her, and whose hearts were so void of right feeling towards that Being who alone could protect, or help, or bless them.

Martha, however, persevered in her course, and only thought, as the difficulty arose, of opposing to it a stronger combination of means. She consider ed, that if she could not prevail on the inhabitants to go to the ordinances of religion, where they were regularly observed, it was necessary, if possible, to bring them to the spot, and not to suffer the people to perish for lack of knowledge. In acting under this conviction, she represented her views so effectually to a minister then staying at Cheshunt, that he at once consented to give his Wednesday evenings to the benefit of this hamlet. Accordingly their sitting room, with the good-will of the worthy widow, and to the great joy of the young inmates, was determined on as the place of meeting and worship.

It was now that Martha realized more the fruit of her retired endeavors. If she failed generally in urging her neighbors to go some distance for the act of worship, she succeeded beyond expectation in assembling them as was proposed. The awkwardness of first going into a large public assembly, with several other trivial considerations, which greatly influence our nature on very important occasions, were overcome; "they were only going into widow D- -'s, and those around them were

doing the same thing."

When, therefore, the minister arrived at the time of service, the room was well prepared for his reception, and completely filled with attentive hearers, some of whom were so strange to public worship that they knew nothing of its external forms and expressions. The good seed, however, in many cases, was cast in a prepared soil, and it grew up and yielded the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Many were made the better for it in relative life; some were constrained differently to respect the Sabbath, and to travel to the means of grace; and some gave such evidence of a spiritual change as to be readily received to the communion of saints, at the holy supper of their Lord.

In the fluctuation of her sufferings, there would be periods in which Martha was compelled to resign herself to pain; but then it was she was most concerned to excite others to do what was beyond her power. Unmindful of her own convenience, and even of her necessities, she would urge those who dwelt with her to go forth on some message of mercy. Their desire was to please her; and as they found her mind was much more satisfied by absence on such errands than by any attentions their presence could impart, they commonly met her wishes without remonstrance. Frequently the aged widow was to be seen issuing from her home, happy to fulfil some little suggestion of Martha's for the consolation of others; and more frequently did her attached friend, Maria, follow out her footsteps in her more active days, seeking to confer similar blessings, and to bring home to the invalid some encouraging report.

incapacity. Besides the benefit of her general efforts, a school was formed at a distant hamlet, which Maria undertook to attend once in the week; and Martha, on making known its dark and destitute situation, induced the minister before mentioned to afford it a share in his time and attentions. Thus was Martha, by the kind agency of others, effecting as much through her days of pain and confinement, as could probably have been realized by uninterrupted activity.

From the mere description of these acts of charity, it will be seen that they were not of an expensive character; yet, in continuing them week after week, little expenses were apt to accumulate. Some of these she was enabled to meet by the kindness of friends, who, knowing her disposition, made her an almoner; and to the remainder she devoted every thing she could possibly spare. Every garment in her drawers, and every sixpence of her allowance, which was not indispensable to her, she readily disposed of to others. I find in a quarter's account of her expenditure about this time, the largest item of the whole is that for "Religious Tracts." She never suffered herself to owe any one any thing but love, but when her dues were settled, she thought of little more. She has frequently made herself penniless to assist others; and there is some great reason to fear, from what I have since learned, that she was too neglectful of the claims of a body rendered so delicate by indisposition. On this subject her friends would seriously remonstrate; she would admit the justice and kindness of what was said, but her inclination would rest on the other side of the argument. "Remember," she would say, "how much good a trifle may do. The gift of some little nicety to a sick person may open the heart to regard what shall be of eternal value to him; and the outlay of a sixpence in tracts may be benefiting others when we are no more." Undoubtedly, compared with what many give, Martha gave nothing; but compared with what they sacrifice in giving, and what is left after giving, she gave as much as any, and more than most: and this is the scriptural test of charity. The widow's two mites, amid all the silver and gold cast into the treasury that day, was the largest as well as the noblest donation.

If it is to be admitted that Martha did not sufficiently regard her bodily welfare, the concession must end here, for of the superior part of her nature she was never unmindful; and her present situation was considered as a call to increased mental improvement. During this winter, therefore, she pursued a profitable course of reading, and renewed her studies on the subjects which had previously been on hand. Particularly she completed her reading and reflections on education with growing satisfaction. Maria generally joined her in these engagements, and the pleasure was greatly heightened by the presence of one who was interested in her studies, and whom she could assist to tread the paths she had already trodden.

Our happiness springs from our duty, even when duty wears the aspect of self-denial. These three friends made considerable sacrifices in this course. But with much time to be occupied in one posof humble exertion; but they were repaid by un- ture, it was desirable to diversify employment; and sought rewards. Their work of love gave them with the most acute pains to be endured, it was nesomething to devise, to arrange, and to converse cessary to add to change the attraction of novelty. about. Their separations and meetings gave a zest Indeed, all that could be devised was frequently into their society and intercourse. They had an ob- sufficient to divert the mind from the sense of unject before them which endeared them to each other, controllable suffering. Whatever was likely to avail and kept the best sympathies of the heart alive to in helping her yet more to forget her afflictions and the wants of humanity. Above all, there were the to occupy her attention and ume, she was anxious substantial proofs of usefulness more or less arising. to adopt. With this purpose she determined, when The good, but retiring widow, entered more into the fatigued with those pursuits which were more arspirit of active benevolence, and did more than duous and familiar, to turn from them to the French would otherwise have been done; and Maria, language; and when she should be weary of this, catching the views of her friend as she proceeded, she provided herself with the means for practising sought to accomplish the more from her lamented | drawing. In both these new exercises she made

quick progress, and for the latter she formed a strong attachment. Her love of nature gave her an interest in painting; she could use the pencil when she could do nothing else; and she was accustomed to speak of this recreation with gratitude, as contributing to fill up many hours of life appointed to suffering, and which, had she dwelt on it more, she might have been less able with patience

to endure.

Her attention, at this period, was given to her temper as well as her mind. Her disease affected her nervous system in a high degree; the state of excitation to which she was sometimes brought, was most difficult for her to control: and she has several times expressed a fear that it might, by continued action, render her temper irritable, peevish, and troublesome. She had often marked the influence of bodily infirmity on the social dispositions in other persons, and as often she had deplored it, and prayed against it; but now she thought herself in danger of the very thing she feared. However, her fear was her security; it kept her eyes open on the encroachments of this evil; and resolutely to watch against it was to conquer it.

Martha, indeed, was so inured to resist the selfish principle, that she was the more prepared to contend with it under this one appearance; and so complete was her victory, that no one ignorant of her mind would have thought it had cost her a struggle. She was not only free from peevishness and ill-humor, she was still gentle, kind, and cheerful. She did not undervalue attentions that had become familiar to her, nor use them needlessly where they were kindly offered. She did not withhold acknowledgment because it might be taken for granted; and much less did she manifest impatience and displeasure at services which were meant to please her. She had still a kind word, and as kind a smile for any expression of sympathy, while the whole bodily frame was under the most distressing irritation. The magnitude of this conquest may be estimated when it is considered, that many who have subdued a vicious principle have failed in contending with a petulant disposition.

CHAPTER XIX.

saw their property torn from them so suddenly which they had been years in obtaining, which seemed so necessary to their comfort, and which they could not possibly replace by any renewed exertions, her spirits were overwhelmed. Her imagination exaggerated the distress; and while she did not exactly know the extent of loss, she feared that every thing might be lost, and that her aged and revered parents might be called to suffer most, when the very "grasshopper was becoming a burden." It was then that her affliction was first regarded with temporary impatience; it withheld her hands from administering to their wants, and her feet from fleeing to their presence in their adversity.

However, she communicated with her parents on the subject in the most tender and affectionate manner. She reminded them of those consolations which are apt to be farthest from the thoughts when they are most needed; and meekly suggested those considerations which she had found most useful in lifting the mind above the endless vicissitudes of life. She re-assured them that she was entirely satisfied with what they had done for the welfare of the family; and that they must not take blame to themselves because their plans had been crossed by events which human prudence could not foresee, nor human power control. She made it a distinct and earnest request, that they would not tolerate a moment's uneasiness concerning herself, as she hoped she should soon be better; and that, under no circumstances, could she allow herself to be burdensome to them, whose burdens she wished, above all earthly things, to lighten. Enough it would be to her, more than enough, should she find that, from the wreck of their possessions, they still retained any thing approaching to a sufficiency for themselves. From their children, she urged, they must now release their thoughts; they had already done their duty towards them.

Martha uttered all this, and much more, in the ardor of her sympathy; and her thoughts were earnestly engaged in considering how she might most readily make herself independent of the very limited resources of her parents. The instruction of children had always been peculiarly her delight; and she conceived her object might be best accomplished by teaching a small and select number of young pupils. Reflection increased her approbation of the DOMESTIC TRIALS. 1819-20. plan. She knew the engagement would be pleaWHILE Martha was bearing cheerfully her own sant to her; she concluded that her connections sufferings, she was assailed, by relative affliction, would supply the requisite number; and she conin a more vulnerable part. Her parents, who, by sidered it providential that her attention had been the act of retiring from worldly business, appeared so fully employed on education in its more ornato be placed beyond the reach of hazard, were early mental and essential parts. There was only one called to endure a considerable loss. The indivi- thing which stood in the way of her immediately dual who, with the best reputed character, had en- carrying this scheme into execution-it was the tered on their house and trade, soon became a bank-state of her health. She met this difficulty by hoping rupt, and all they received for the valuable property trusted to his use was an insignificant dividend.

It too often happens, that the first loss leads to a second; in attempting to recover what is past redemption, we lose what is yet possessed. Our parents, anxious to enlarge a narrowed income, and to provide an opening into life for their younger son, ventured a considerable portion of their remaining property in the house of a sugar refiner. This was done with fair prospects of realizing the proposed objects; but, just at this period, such a stagnation came over this line of otherwise profitable trade, as to perplex and shake the most weighty establishments. In the issue, all the parties concerned lost whatever they had advanced.

No event in our domestic history affected Martha equally with this. She had thought that whatever trials might await their offspring in the course they had to run, her beloved parents would terminate their days at ease and in peace. But now, when she

it would be removed; but this hope had inwardly many fears to contend with. She could not avoid reflecting that she had been unwell for a long period; and that, although now recovering from a heavy paroxysm of pain, disease had rather seemed to establish itself on her constitution than otherwise; and these reflections gave to her plans a visionary and impracticable character. Then, again was the cup of affliction most bitter to her spirit. It was hard, extremely hard, to see the hand of Providence cutting off the natural sources of supply, and, at the same time, withholding those bodily energies which were necessary, by honorable exertion, to provide for herself-and yet to be resigned!

Hard as it was, Martha was enabled to exemplify it. But perhaps her own words will best discover the agitation, submission, and gratitude of her heart."

"June 2-(her birth-day.) Truly, it is a pleasant

thing to give thanks unto the Lord! In looking but this was alleviated by the distance between back on the past year, my temporal, intellectual, them still being very trifling. Every thing else was and spiritual blessings should excite me to joy and as she could desire. She saw that the proposed praise. Amid all that has threatened my life and plan would continue at her side her affectionate my comfort, I am still preserved, and have food to companion, Maria; that it would give opportunities eat, and raiment to put on. Yea, my cup runneth of receiving her parents, who were already preparover. Notwithstanding the great hindrances arising to spend some time with her; and that it would ing from severe pains and oppressive lassitude, I necessarily bring her into closer communion with have been favored with considerable opportunities her brother's family. Indeed, the change was stored for mental improvement. But, above all, I would with more good than we could at first perceive. give thanks that I am still preserved in the narrow From this time it was my privilege to consider my path still hungering and thirsting after righteous- sister a constituent member of our family; and I ness-still longing to have the selfishness of my na- must ever be thankful, in the review, that it enabled ture extirpated, and to live only to God. May I us to contribute so easily to her comfort, and to leglorify the Giver of these blessings! When do our ceive from her, in return, so much benefit to ourbenefits appear so valuable as when most conscious selves and our children. of our weakness and unworthiness?

tribute to it. She had nothing to do but to name it | pain. Life is short, but it is awful to think what a to her brother, and this she determined to delay no world of suffering may be crowded into it! longer. I cannot forbear inserting the following lines, as they allow the sufferer to speak for herself: