The Dairyman's Daughter

, fortune, or character of the respective owners engage much attention. Perhaps their houses are exhibited to the admiring stranger. The elegant rooms, costly furniture, valuable pai

reasure of infinitely more value than the sumptuous palace of the rich man; even "the pearl of great price." If this be set in the heart of the poor cotta

piety and grace beneath the thatched roof which he has in vain looked for amidst the worldly grandeur of the rich, he remembers the declarations in the Word of God. He sees with admiration, that the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, dwelleth with him also

oves to lift up the latch of the door, and to sit down and converse with the poor, although perhaps despised, inhabitant. Many a sweet interview does Faith o

's instrument for removing so many thousands every year from the land of the living, made hasty strides on her constitut

f consumptive illness! How many such precious opportunities are daily lost, where Providence seems in so marked a way to afford time and space for serious and god

had taken root in her constitution. In my visits to her, I went rather to receive information than to impart it. Her mind was abundantly st

a short note to the

ar

our-glass is nearly run out; but I hope I can see Christ to be precious to my soul. Your conversation has often

your o

worthy

- W-

ife opened the door. The tears streamed down her cheek as she silently shook her head.

ight, and as the Lord of

r. What shall I do without her? I thought

e yourself, you should behold your child sa

, and she is a dear child, the staff and

hair by pillows, with every mark of rapid decline and approaching death. A sw

y wasting away, and I cannot have long to continue here. My flesh and my heart fail;

liveliness as she spoke. I had frequently admired the superior language in which she expressed her ideas, as well as the scriptural consistency with which she communicated her thoughts. She had a good natural understandin

(the latter fixing her fond eyes upon her child with grea

as 'been with thee,' and has kept 'thee in all places whither thou hast gone,' an

ng to the great weakness and suffering of my bodily frame, and partly to the envy of my spiritual en

ons? Can you doubt amidst such numer

e. I do not wish to add to my other sins that of denying his manifest

which you were before you felt seriously

nday to church, more to see and be seen than to pray or hear the word of God. I thought I was quite good enough to be saved, and disliked and often laughed at religious people. I was in great darkness; I knew nothing of the way of salvation; I never prayed, nor was sensible of the awful danger of a prayerless state. I wished to

sermon which you hope, through God's

five ye

it brough

vised me not to go, for fear he should turn my head; as they said he held strange notions. But curiosity and an opportunity of appearing in a new gown, which I was very prou

e, regardless of the worship of God, I looked around me, and was anxious to attract notice myself. My dress, like that of too many gay, vain, and silly servant girls, was much above my statio

arment of salvation with which a Christian is clothed, I felt a powerful discovery of the nakedness of my own soul. I saw that I had neither the humility mentioned in the text, nor any one part of the true Christian character. I looked at my gay dress, and blushed for shame on account of my pride. I looked

equential. He represented Christ as 'Wisdom;' I felt my ignorance. He held Him forth as 'Righteousness;' I was convinced of my own guilt. He proved Him to be 'Sanctification;' I saw my corruption. He proclaimed Him as 'Redemption;' I felt my slav

nd the danger of a sinful state. I inwardly blessed God for t

to the awakening of my soul. Happy, sir, would it be, if many a poor girl, like myself, were turned from the love of outward adorning and putting o

and complained of the severity of the preacher: while a few, as I afterwards found, like mysel

raising sinful dust and ashes to a share in the glorious happiness of heaven. And O, sir, what a Saviour I have found! He is more than I could ask or desire. In his fulness

on must be an act of entire grace on the part of God, who

and that continually. And my deservings, what were they but the deservings of a fallen, depraved, careless soul, that regarded neither law nor gospel? Yes, sir, I

rceive in yourself with

ften I mourned over my sins, and sometimes had a great conflict through unbelief, fear, temptation, to return back again to my old ways, and a variety of difficulties which lay in my way. But He who loved me with an everlasting love,

s in your situation, owing to your

ere meant to render me hateful in the sight of the world. But I esteemed the reproach of the Cross an honour. I forgave and prayed for my persecutors, and remembered how very lately I had acted the

n feel for your

hem, and had a longing desire to do them good. In particular, I felt for my father and mothe

miserable we were, till this dear Betsy-this dear Betsy-this dear chil

your poor daughter home, to tell you what He had don

he yoke on his shoulders. He had stood behind the half-opened door for a

of service on purpose to live with us, that she might help us both in soul and b

, and happy it is that they are. I am willing to go. Are not you willing

the world but that," s

she, "you wish

"let the Lord do with you a

t consolations chiefly depended, in

loud the image of Christ which I want to see in my own heart. But when I look at the Saviour himself, He

, and learn to bear my own. I reflect on his death, and long to die unto sin, so that it may no longer have dominion over me. I sometimes think of his resurrection, and trust that He has given me a part in it, for I feel that my affe

ave made me wish and strive in my poor way to serve Him, to give myself up to Him, and

ainted, if He had not upheld me. I feel that

are not look for my hope in anything short of the entire fulness of Christ. When I ask my own heart a question, I am afraid to trust it, for it is treacherous, and has often deceived me. But when I ask Christ, he answers me with promises that strengthen and refresh me, and leave me no room to doubt his power an

ther overcast with dark clouds; but just now the setting sun shone brightly and somewhat suddenly into the room. It was reflected from three or four rows of bright pewter plates and white earthenware, ar

om. Clean as was the whitewashed wall, it was not cleaner than the rest of the place and its furniture. Seldom had the

ay happened to be reflected from a little looking-glass upon her face. Amidst her pallid and decaying features there appeared a

conversation and a short p

otes of the birds of day, and the first warblings of the nightingale, broke upon the ear, and served rather to increase than lessen the peaceful serenity of the evening, and its corresponding effects on my own mind. It invited and cherished just such me