the world, and build up his kingdom everywhere, when at the same time a whole swarm of petty vexations and little anxieties are so distracting your thoughts, that you hardly know what you are saying. Perhaps a careless servant is wasting your substance, or a blundering workman has spoiled your goods, a child is vexatious or unruly, a friend has made promises and failed to keep them, an acquaintance has made unjust or satirical remarks, or you have a headache, your house is in disorder, and company comes that you wish to have form a good opinion of you; but all this calls forth no prayer for strength and patience, though it is all the time lying like lead upon the heart. You feel as if these were small affairs to trouble the Lord with, and thus your stock of grace diminishes, speck by speck, and the peaceful dove has flown from your turbulent breast. O if God were only known and regarded as the soul's familiar friend, every little care as it comes to us would be laid upon him who is able to bear it, and our lightened spirits would pass on rejoicing in him who has said, "Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." CHAPTER XXIII. ABOUT this time a circumstance occurred that I wish to mention to the praise of God's sustaining grace. God had given us a darling boy. For eleven short weeks we held the little treasure, and then our heavenly Father unwound the thousand little tendrils it had thrown around our hearts, and suddenly bore him away to bloom among the flowers of paradise, There is a flower called the night-blooming Cereus. About nine o'clock at night it begins to unfold its petals, and continues expanding until midnight, when it appears one of the most lovely flowers ever beheld by mortal eye. From this time it gradually closes up, until at three o'clock it is completely hid in its foliage. So it was with our little Charles Emory. We had but just looked upon his loveliness, when he passed forever from our sight. This was a great affliction to Mrs. Henry. Unconsciously she had made an idol of her babe. Let it ever be remembered, that our God is a jealous God, who never did, and never will make any compromise with an idol. Consequently one or the other must be given up. The crisis had come when the crown of perfect love must fall from the head of the mother, or the idol be turned out of the temple. God in mercy took the child, and stayed himself to comfort the broken-hearted mourner. When I lost my first child, I murmured; but I could say on this occasion, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." My dear wife too was brought to say, "The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee." Her heart was again cleansed from idols, and sprinkled with clean water. She shouted at the funeral. A wonderful peace flooded my soul. The little grave had no gloom. The clods of the valley falling on the little narrow house, seemed like the bells of the new Jerusalem inviting us to the mansion of light, whither he had fled. "I remember how I loved him when a little guiltless child I saw him in the cradle, as he look'd on me and smiled; My cup of happiness was full, my joy words cannot tell, And I bless'd the glorious Giver, who doeth all things well. "Months pass'd: that bud of promise was unfolding every hour; I thought that earth had never smiled upon a fairer flower; So beautiful, it well might grace the bower where angels dwell, And waft its fragrance to His throne, who doeth all things well. "He was the lonely star whose light around my pathway shone, Amid the darksome vale of tears through which we journey on; Its radiance had obscured the light which round the throne doth dwell, And I wander'd far away, from Him who doeth all things well. "That star went down in beauty, yet it shineth sweetly now, In the bright and dazzling coronet, that decks the Saviour's brow; He bow'd to the destroyer, whose shafts none may repel, "I remember well my sorrow, as I stood beside his bed, And my deep and heartfelt anguish, when they told me he was dead; And O, that cup of bitterness !-let not my heart rebel : God gave, he took, he will restore, he doeth all things well." So now, reader, I have told the birth and death of my little boy; but I do not ask your tears or sympathies. Although the blowing out of the little candle was taking light from a blind man's path, removing the little staff that he might have leaned upon as he went forth proclaiming a free and full salvation to wretched and dying men; yet, what were all these advantages, compared with the jewel of perfect love? The value of a thing must be estimated not only by the first cost, but by what it costs to keep it. The price of salvation was nothing less than the blood of Jesus Christ. And he who thinks or imagines that a pure heart can be preserved without daily sacrifices, perpetual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer, will soon find that the blood of Jesus Christ must again be applied to cleanse from all sin. Many a man will steal your guineas, that would not touch your pennies. stranger may ask, as he beholds the marble edifice in the city, why those massive bolts and bars are sprung upon its doors and windows? why those faithful sentinels march around, watching with eagle eye every hour in the night its avenues? He will be told at once there is a great treasure within those walls, and they are afraid to trust even bolts and bars, without those living watchers. Even so, A heart from every sin, when Christ has cleansed your and planted his own precious treasure there, do not think the danger is over. The banished enemy of your soul and his allies are well acquainted with the avenues to the citadel from which they were so lately expelled; and unless you watch unceasingly, looking to God for aid, you will certainly be overcome. Perhaps the battle has already been fought, and you "have overcome through the blood of the Lamb." Satan has seemingly fled from you, and you have stacked your arms, and flattered your soul that there was no more war in the land. But remember, reader, that the old deceiver was never more deceitful than when he is seeking to rock you asleep in the cradle of self-indulgence; and if you once fall asleep, he will be as careful about awaking you, as ever a burglar was about awaking the inmates of the house he was robbing. Do not forget, then, to watch; and I pray God not only to sanctify you wholly, soul, body, and spirit, but to preserve you blameless unto his coming. "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." CHAPTER XXIV. THE winter of 1847, 1848 was a season of blessed trials to me. They showed me how much I loved the ordinances of God and the harmonious sound |