time, ever abounding in the work of the Lord, flying with love and zeal to do his will, and at last have a welcome entrance into the joy of our Lord. Sweet, happy day, that sets the prisoner free, and introduces him to light, life, liberty, and glory, such as needs a seraph's pencil to delineate, and the language of eternity to express. Your much obliged friend, FANNY WOODBURY. LETTER TO MISS M. G. OF BOSTON. Beverly, Feb. 1, 1813. A FEW leisure moments occur, which I cheerfully devote to my dear Miss G. I hope this will find you assiduously engaged in religion, and enjoying the smiles of your covenant Redeemer. You know, my friend, that substantial happiness is not to be found in this barren world. Alas! shall we not pity its deluded votaries, who anticipate, but seldom or never realize? It constans ly eludes their grasp, and mocks their fond expecta Not all the honours, riches, and pleasures of the can confer real felicity on an immortal being. But is a world, my sister, beyond this mortal state, blooming bliss and ever-during glory reign, such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of mortal man conceived." From those blissful regions, God looks down with a benignant eye on his humble followers, and communicates a drop of heaven to worms below. The sincere, the humble, the uniform Christian is happy. He enjoys the favour and protection of the Majesty of heaven, and he has a title to those celestial regions, when he has passed this state of minority. He has a Shepherd full of kindness, full of power, who careth for him, and will guide him through this waste howling wilderness, and protect him as the apple of his eye, and who will be his ever satisfying and unfading portion. When time shall be no longer, when this huge globe shall be one vast conflagration, the Christian shall be secure and happy in the ark of safety, in the paradise of God. He beholds with admiration the glorious assembly and church of the first born in heaven, and gazes on the glories of Deity with ineffable delight, while he triumphantly sings, " Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever." As long as God exists, he shall flourish in unfading spring, and improve in felicity and knowledge through the revolutions of eternal ages. But poor and very inadequate at best are our conceptions of the immeasurable and exalted happiness of departed saints; for it is an "exceeding great, and eternal weight of glory." Would we gain those peaceful shores, holiness is indispensable. Our hearts being naturally contaminated and full of evil, must be renewed and sanctified by divine grace, or we can never enter the New Jerusalem, the residence of infinite purity. Unerring truth hath said, "Except ye be born again, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God." This is the essential change, which every descendant of Adam and Eve must experience, in order to be admitted into heaven. How important is it, that we should impartially and critically search and examine our hearts and lives, and endeavour to ascertain whether we are renewed in the spirit of our minds, and display the fruits of the Spirit in our lives and conversation! However painful the investigation, it is absolutely necessary. We must dive into the corrupt fountain, from whence proceeds every sinful act, and discover its latent pollutions. We must scrutinize our external deportment, and compare all with that infallible criterion, the word of God, and see whether we have the characteristic lineaments of a true Christian, or are deceiving ourselves, with vain hopes. But ah! we are insufficient of ourselves to do any thing. is of God. May we realize our entire Him, implore his assistance, and the influences of his blessed Spirit. Our sufficiency dependence on My best love to dear Miss W. May you both be blessed with much of Enoch's spirit, and enjoy the peculiar love of your covenant Redeemer. Pray for me, may that I live devoted to God. If this letter deserves friend, Your affectionate FANNY WOODBURY. LETTER TO MISS N. J. OF BEVERLY. MY DEAR FRIEND, Beverly, Feb. 2, 1813. I AM pleased with the freedom with which you write, and with equal pleasure shall repay your confidence. I can make no adequate return for your favours ; but only express my willingness, and look to Him, without whose cognizance not a sparrow falls to the ground. From the treasures of his wisdom, knowledge, and grace, may he bounteously communicate to you, and make you an instrument of great and extensive good to a world ly◄ ing in wickedness. May yours be the ineffable consolation of wiping the tears of the widow and the orphan, comforting the too much neglected abodes of penury and wretchedness, and improving the condition of all around you in body and soul. Alas! a benevolent heart can hardly fail to bleed at a view of the sins and miseries that abound. The world seems like a great hospital, in which almost every one is groaning under the pressure of weakness, sickness, and affliction; and some are oppressed with a heavy complication of distresses. Sin has changed this once blooming Eden, flowing with perennial sweets, into a thorny desart, "a waste howling wilderness," where sorrows and woes spontaneous grow. But blessed be God for the precious balm of the gospel, and Gilead's almighty Physician. He only is adequate to the recovery of our diseased souls, and the healing of our wounded spirits. He gives his prescriptions and assistance," without money, and without price;" and no case, however desperate and inveterate, he ever undertook, but he effected a radical cure. His patients indeed are but partially restored in this unfavourable clime; but he has prepared a place to which he receives them after proper discipline and preparation. There they find the air salubrious, the employments delightsome, the music melodious and enchanting, the inhabitants excellent and glorious, all in unison, shouting loud acclammations of praise to their glorious Recoverer. There all are cemented in one vast bond of perfect love, having left their divisions, envies, and imperfections in this sinful world. Paul and Barnabas are now amicably reconciled in the sweet endearments of mutual amity. There all tears shall be wiped away; and "the inhabitants shall no more say, sick;" for holiness, felicity, and glory are his, as exalted and immeasurable as the cravings of his never dying soul, and lasting as the ages of eternity. He has a more than Eden, gained an eternal weight of glory, which no sin shall forfeit, and no length of time corrode or impair. How rich the blood that purchased it! how stupendous *Acts xv. 39. I am the grace that bestows it! Jesus! precious, delightful name! a restorative for every pain, a cordial for every trouble, a sweet emollient balm for every woe. Let it tranquillize and invigorate our hearts, and be the theme of our admiring gratitude and adoring love. We hope the time is not far distant, when the eastern world, now enveloped in darkness, superstition, ignorance, and error, shall be irradiated with the clear light of the gospel, the resplendent rays of the Sun of righteousness. The present time is indeed gloomy. Wars, desolations, earthquakes, and dire calamities are abroad in the earth, perhaps the precursors of still more tremendous judg ments. But the scriptures must be fulfilled,” and not one jot or tittle shall fail. How consoling to think, that these portentous commotions shall be ultimately introductory to the millennial era of light and love. How delightful to look through these nocturnal shades, to the dawn of that auspicious, glorious morn. As it respects the Deity of Christ, my dear friend, I think no one who reads the scriptures impartially, need to doubt. That he is possessed of all the attributes and perfections of Deity, and that he should be honoured even as the Father is honoured, we have indubitable evidence from the Bible. I have often wondered how any, who profess to be his disciples, can degrade him almost to the level of a mere man. Does it not imply mean thoughts of him; not to say hatred and enmity? Will you send me a few thoughts on this question, "What is the immediate duty of impenitent sinners ?" Does not the scripture say, " Repent!" But some allege, that we cannot repent of ourselves, and that God must give us repentance. Others say we must pray for repentance, and if we pray aright, God will answer our prayers; |