little else than the word; but trust you will still be blessed to strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and while you sympathize with the weak, encourage them on to be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. He is able to make all grace abound towards you in your arduous engagements, and may He ever keep your own soul as a watered garden, and like a spring of waters, whose waters fail not, for he that believeth in me, "the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Though again sent back to tell how great things the Lord hath done for me, yet I am still weak in body, and do not expect to be restored to former health, but my precious Jesus is the health of my countenance, and my God. I find this a rough wilderness, but there is a 66 right way" through it for every one of Zion's pilgrims-and till the day of eternity break, and the shadows of time flee away, I will, by faith, under the Spirit's anointing, get me to my Christ, who is unto me a Mountain of Myrrh, and an Hill of Frankincense. He has helped us hitherto, and says, "He will never leave us nor forsake us;" faithful is He who hath promised, who also will do it. Bless the Lord, oh, our souls, for His mercy endureth for ever.

I remain in our lovely Lord the Lamb,
Yours affectionately,

RUTH.

[What, Sister! receive such indulgence at the hand of Jesus, and yet keep it secret ? eat your morsel alone? That be far from thee. Depend on it, this timidity of thine is a snare of Satan. Why should not others be cheered and encouraged in hearing of the wonderful condescension, superabounding love, and Divine faithfulness of Him who is here and there even in this drear wilderness found to be "the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely ?" Why not let his own dear children know what He proves himself to be to the church militant, as well as to the church triumphant? The Lord help thee to testify of his wonderful love.-ED.]

VERY DEAR FRIEND AND SISTER IN THE LORD,-Yours safely reached me, and I would gladly make a suitable return if it lay in me. I am glad, and I hope thankful that any son or daughter of Zion should think of me, and especially that they should feel respect towards me. But this must be for the Lord's sake; and fully believing He is with you, I would say, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, blessed art thou among women.' These words were spoken to Mary when she was about to " compass a man, even the man Christ, in her womb; yea, the man that has long since become your Friend and your Beloved, whom you have compassed in your

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soul, and who has compassed you in his heart. How highly has He honoured you, how dearly has He purchased you, how freely has He loved you, how safely doth He secure you, how richly doth He provide for you of the bread of life, and hereafter is reserving for you an inheritance of glory. You cannot conceive a thousandth part, as to what He is worth to you, or you to Him, but He is a Gift to you from his Father, and your Father, from his God and your God; and this Gift is a precious Stone to you who have it, for as a precious stone shining and sparkling in the sun as you turn it about; so Christ, whithersoever He turneth up to you, He prospereth. For your heart's sickness and affliction, He turns Physician; if you lose yourself, He turns your Seeker; if you are called out to fight with the powers of sin, Satan, the world, &c., He turns your whole armour of righteousness, yea, and the Captain also to fight for you, "for the battle is his, not your's "-if you become a mourner, He becomes Comforter; if you become poor, He turns a liberal Giver; if you lament your weakness, He turns Strengthener, and gives power to the faint; if you become doubtful, and unbelieving, He turns the Author of renewed faith; and when your soul pants for thirst, He turns a Fountain of living waters; if you get into the thorny maze of temptation, He turns a faithful Guardian, and does not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear; He makes a way for your escape; if you become dead, barren, cold, He becomes to you the Life, in Him is your fruit found, and his word is to you a fire; if you are puzzled, He turns Counsellor; and if you are all ignorance, He is made to you all Wisdom; and if you are nothing, He turns everything to you and for you; whithersoever way He turneth, He prospereth; and it is your privilege to go straight to Him, and tell Him what you want. Surely, 66 how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty, HIS corn makes HIS young men cheerful, and HIS new wine HIS maids." Oh! what a mercy to a quickened soul, to be blessed with a good, a spiritual, a lively, a comfortable hope in Him, in whom all fulness dwells, so that it can want nothing while living or dying but Your Friend is able, and willing, and waiting, and sworn to give it you; He will feed you according to the integrity of his heart, and guide you by the skilfulness of his hands! yea, though He should give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction; though He give you tears to drink in great measure, yet they are only some of the tears He shed for you. When He was a Man of sorrows, He bare all our griefs, we may afford to bear some of his. The Holy Ghost is to take of his things and show them unto us. What if He should take of his bitters and give us the water of gall to drink? Poor Jeremiah says the Lord had filled him with bitterness, and

made him drink with wormwood, and had broken his teeth with gravel stones (Lam. iii. 15, 16). These were, and are, some of the provisions of his house, and even these He blesses to his poor, and still He feeds them according to the integrity of his heart, and guides them by the skilfulness of his hands, though He leads them through fire and water. There is a deal to be done to us, and within us, beside comforting us, and the Lord must do it, and will do it, whether we like it or not. Little children generally cry when they are washed, but the mother washes all the same as if they laughed. The Lord will wash away the filthiness and idols from us; and as He thus washes us, we have at least this part in Him. He watches over us to pluck up, root out, and to destroy our evils as well as to build and to plant (Jer. xxxi. 28). He has a deal to pull down and destroy, in order to establish his kingdom within us, and make his own work appear to us. This is Sunday morning; the sun is bright, but it is cold. I hope it may not be so to-day in little Zion. I am never satisfied with bright views, unless they are seen with the Spirit's dissolving warmth, and the heart thereby powerfully affected and drawn out to the Lord in love. But these are his doings also. I am almost always much blessed in my own sonl, in speaking to the Lord's poor followers, and they are blessed also.

Many thanks to our Lord, who is the Head over all things, and always studies the good of his children, that He hath kindly cared for you, to place you among his own. I know but very few in Chichester, but when I was there, I found a great union with them, and should be happy to see them again, because "the Lord was there."

Yours in the truth,

T. WELLAND. Surrey Gardens, near Godalming, Surrey, March 22, 1852.

HOPE AGAINST HOPE. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR EDITOR,-Having received so much liberty, consolation, and instruction, from reading your valuable Magazine for June; I cannot refrain communicating in a small measure something respecting my poor troubled mind. I am a lone wanderer in a wilderness of woe, and feeling keenly the effects of sin from within and without, but I must not complain of others, that will not be eating clean and pure food," as advised in | Wayside Notes," which piece was very useful to me, described my case, and through the blessing of my heavenly Father, brought health, and left me, I hope, " clothed, and in my right mind," though finding me in dearth, and darkness, (a path I have been much in of

late years). I knew the enemy of souls was harassing; could admit the truth of many things brought before my eyes, though not having any access, I could not get nigh my Jesus: but now again say, "He hath done all things well." When bemoaning my sad condition, my best consolation was (and that not small for a few moments) perhaps the Lord is about to take me, and this is Satan's last (so fierce) conflict; Ah I thought, as I would have it, was it but the will of my dearest Lord; for my flesh is cowardly beyond expression, at the thought of any thing but death, and if it please Him to grant me His presence then, O how I shall welcome my bridal day; but something says at this instant, you are using strong language, yes, I dare not cast away my confidence, though it has been so greatly revived. I have known what it was to say as much before, for I had a most blessed Teacher at the beginning of my better life, and He promised to be my Father, which when the best influence has been with me I have never doubted, and did in exultation sing,

Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given; More happy, but not more secure, The glorified spirits in heaven. But many dark days have passed over me since then, that was when (as a good woman used to say to me) "religion walked in her silver slippers ;" and I have indeed felt many a struggle since; yet still know,

The people of his choice,
He will not cast away.

But sometimes cannot see an evidence that I am one; and then, then dishonour comes with all its bewilderment. But I must not longer encroach upon your time. Wishing blessings may attend your multifarious labours, and entreating an interest in your prayers for the welfare of my often cast-down soul, Yours respectfully,

ONE IN THE WILDERNESS.

[Beloved unknown, amid all your changes you have to do with an unalterable mercy, namely, the person, promise, and power of Him who is unchangeable-" the same yes. terday, to-day, and for ever!" Here is our mercy. We may change, we may and do ebb and flow in feeling day by day; sometimes full of hope, at other times upon the brink of despair, doubting whether such a sinner can be saved, yet Jesus is the same! He rests in his love, and hateth putting away. Think of his person, and of every member (however minute) being in living vital union—a part and parcel of Himself! how can that member be spared? how overlooked? There is as it were a ceaseless vibration between head and members, one part sympathizing with another. Moreover, a schism would be in the body if the tiniest member were lacking.-ED.]

worshipped Him." This is most blessed, sure, and certain, and so is "Unto you therefore, which believe He is precious ;" and as we are rooted and built up in Him, so we grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ: and we live and walk in the Spirit, reconciled to God by the death of his Son; and though once afar off, made nigh by the blood of Christ, who is our peace.

Having read several parts of this month's Magazine with pleasure, love constraineth me to come unto you on this wise, and to tell you the truth, that I do bless the Lord on your behalf, and for that He hath fixed the bounds of your habitation in the place He hath; and I rejoice greatly because the word of the Lord is fulfilled, "Ye shall be hated of all for my sake;" but you have found, and will find, as 1 have for more than forty years, "That He that is our God, is the God of salvation, and He frustrateth the tokens of liars, maketh diviners mad, turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;" and our unchanging mercy is, "If God be for us, who can be against us:" and God hath not only called us to "believe in his name, but to suffer for his sake." What hath taken place will be for the furtherance of the Gospel. You have no need to fight in this battle, but to stand still, and see the salvation of God; the Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace: as the children of the mother of Harlots, hate, villify, and threaten to change your form, so also my mother's children are angry with me, and chide with you, because I believe it is better to hearken unto God than unto men; and herein I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men ; but I know not how to reconcile it, that Protestants who say they love the truth, should join the Popish party, and threaten you with their displeasure, if you insert truths written in the love of them, whereby many of the children have been comforted, as many testimonies that have been received have declared; but as my times are in the hand of the Lord, I stop not to enquire the why or the wherefore of the anger and threatening, but go on preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all and my daily song is, "The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted;" and as I live ready to die, so "for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain;" and let the accusers speak openly.

I not only rejoice and sympathize with you, but with our brother, J. B. Knocker, relative to his three daughters. I am constrained to believe, that as there is much love displayed in their preservation, so also there are yet special mercies from death. He will also show them the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward them by Christ Jesus.

I am glad to find old Jonathan is still breathing and panting beyond death; and what a precious truth for him and for me, that Moses the servant is dead and our Master is our Father, and He is not at any time angry with us his children, although we are often angry with ourselves, and loath ourselves in our own sight for our abominations; and when the eyes saw the last word of Jonathan-J-E-S-U-S-I forgot myself, and all that appertaineth unto me as a son of Adam earthy, and the Holy Ghost led me back in mind to the place where He first read that name into my heart, Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins:" thus liberty was proclaimed to the captive, and his name theu, and now is as the ointment poured forth, and a strong Tower, the righteous runneth into it, and are safe." And another most blessed truth in after days was brought into the heart, when put to spell the word J-E-S-U-S, and thus I spelt it out, I eternally save U, you, sinners, and so it remains, and ever will, saved in the Lord, with an eternal salvation, and we have salvation in Him with eternal glory.

The Lord preserve you and your's, from all evil among Romish bigotry, and me and mine among Protestant envy-and may we be joy. ful in tribulation, knowing and believing that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Yours in our precious Lord Jesus,
ARTHUR TRIGGS.
34, Torrington Street, Plymouth,
Sept. 4, 1855.

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THE DEPARTED RECLUSE." To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. MY DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST OUR COVENANT HEAD,-I cannot forbear writing to you on the subject of a letter received this morning, announcing the departure from us of our dear Sister, Miss SEARLE. Few events in this world would affect me like the loss of her, whom I loved as I loved my own life and soul: and yet I can but rejoice in her new attainments, possessions, translation, and promotion. Well, we knew each other here, in the purest and sweetest of relationship, being united in love by the ties of grace; and thus we walked in communion and fellowship of the Spirit, and knew nothing of falling out by the way.

The dying request of dear "J. G." to "RECLUSE" was, "Never give up corres ponding with "JOSIAH." She vowed, and well performed her vow, keeping up a constant correspondence till death dashed the pen out of her hand. Nor does she now need my answer to her last, being better and more happily employed.

The peculiar feature of distinction in her lovely character was, an ardent attachment to the written Word of God, and her delight in hearing it read. This was always my pleasurable task when we met, to lay open the blessed Scriptures of truth, and meditate upon its sacred contents.

But she is now engaged in the more blissful employment of musing upon the wonders of the Incarnate Word Himself; seeing Jesus ever on the increase, in the glories of his unfoldings and revealings.

How far a-head of us! Be it our happiness and honour to follow her in the footsteps of Jesus, to whom be all the praise.

Ever yours in Gospel bonds,

JOSIAH COWELL.

Chelmsford, Sept. 12, 1855.

LINES ON THE RELEASE OF DEAR
66
SISTER RECLUSE."

Go, ransomed spirit, to the skies,
Where thy Beloved's gone;

And look with bright and tearless eyes,
On victories Christ hath won.

Feast on the conquest of the cross,
Of Calvary's triumphs tell;
That war of everlasting loss,

To Satan, death, and hell.

Gaze on th' great eternal gain,

Of Christ, th' exalted Lord;
And see in Him, the "Lamb once slain,"
Thy Saviour and thy God.

The former things are pass'd away,
Death, sorrow, sighing, pain;
New heavens now new earth display,
Where righteousness doth reign.
Jesus, with God-effulgence shines,
His glory fills the place;

Walk the fair streets of golden mines,
And all its wonders trace.

Love, in its heights, its vast area,
And depths of mystery know;
Be at the side of Jesus near,

And at his footstool bow.

Seal'd as a virgin saved by grace,
And numbered with the blest;
Bask in the light of Jesu's face,

And on his bosom rest.

Behold Him as He really is,

With satisfaction sweet; Fulness of joy and heavenly bliss, Both at his right hand meet.

Then take your harp, and sing his praise, In hallelujah-strains;

Eternal peace shall mark your ways

Throughout the heavenly plains.

Join in the song for ever new,

Of Worthy is the Lamb!"

In concert with the washed-since you
From tribulation came.

"RECLUSE'S" PREMONITION OF HER DEPARTURE.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. MY DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD,- You must have heard long ere this, of the happy translation of our beloved sister in Jesus (Miss SEARLE). Let us unite in saying, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Although I doubt not, full particulars of her decease have already reached you; yet, perhaps my little additional testimony will not be unacceptable.

For a long period I had a great desire to become acquainted with "RECLUSE," from reading her writings; but I had no idea who she was, or where she resided, till you mentioned, a few months ago, her name, and place of abode, in the Magazine. Still, I was no nearer an acquaintance, till, a few weeks ago, being in the course of God's providence, permitted to visit some dear friends at Exeter. While there, I felt a strong desire to go to Plymouth, to hear Mr. G. Doudney, and if possible, to obtain an interview with Miss Searle.

Accordingly I went to Plymouth for a week, on the last day of August; spent a most glorious Sabbath on the 2nd instant, and joined our beloved Christian friends at Charles Chapel, in commemorating our dear Lord's dying love. Truly, the Master of the feast was present, and was made known to our souls in the breaking of bread. I shall not easily forget that happy day.

On the Wednesday following, I was invited to meet Miss Searle at the house of your dear brother, and my long cherished wish was abundantly gratified. There were only Mr. and Mrs. D., Miss S. and myself present, and we passed several hours in sweet and endearing Christian communion, discoursing on those topics which are so dear to all our hearts. The next day, as I wished to see Mr. BABB, Miss S. invited me to accompany her to his house, which I did.

We had but little opportunity of conversing alone, but, on returning to her residence, our conversation turned upon death, and I remarked how graciously the Lord had dealt with myself, in removing that dread of dying, under which I had laboured for so many years: I said, "I don't believe I shall ever fear to die again." She replied quickly