men would) of his position, or the restoration of his own dilapidated mansion.

He thus writes about his possessions :-" I dare not view it as a reward. It is a great further probation, in which I hope I may be supported, and not fall, by the grace which is sufficient where nothing else is." Time rolls on, but brings no change in his sentiments: at a later period he says:" Posts like mine are full of danger and temptation. Nor could I hope, without the special compassion of God, to escape the woes of the rich, if all that had to be done had to be done in my lifetime. But I serve a kind and gracious Master, who has called us as a family to a work for which He will use me as long as He will; and then, I hope, have mercy on me, and give others grace to go on with it."

In this blessed spirit he pursued his work unto the end. After the loss of his beloved wife, and a short time before his own departure, he says,

"I long for her portion, when God sees fit, and feels that my children are able, with His guidance, to carry on their work; not the Bible. only, but St. Austin, Archer Butler, and others, have known and taught what it is to cast our souls beforehand into our own true home with earnest longings. So by His help I do; and I believe that I do my other work better for it."

Of course the close of such a life as this could not be other than most peaceful and blessed. Those only who were privileged to witness it

can fitly describe the heavenly spectacle. I therefore extract the following from the notice to the eighth edition of "Daily Steps." And mark well, dear reader, the striking contrast between this and such awful scenes as those before spoken of, and say whether you would not desire and strive to live the life, that you may "die the death of the righteous," rather than go down to the grave as unconcerned " the brutes that perish?"

as

"During the few months of his widowhood, while he did not relax in the discharge of his earthly duties, his thoughts, resting on the promises of Scripture, seemed to be above with Christ and those that are with Him, rather than here below; till, after a short illness in the house endeared to himself and the partner of his life by their earliest united recollections, he bore for the last time, on his deathbed, the testimony which, in this book and in his whole manner of living, he desired to bear, to the power of God's Word.

"As he lay at midnight, he seemed conscious that death was drawing near. He asked for his children, lay his hand on them each, and blessed them; this done, he felt over the bed, as seeking for something ; took his Bible in his hands, and placing them straight before him, never moved again, but gently said, 'Feed me with the precious food of God's most holy Word;' and spoke no more till, as his breath became more faint, the reader paused; he then burst forth, 'I still see and hear; I am on the brink, but Christ has not yet called more Words!'-Once more he said, 'Words!' And so, hearing the Word, he died.

me:

"Two small iron crosses, each marked with the initial letter of a Christian name, at the head of grass graves in a quiet country-churchyard, mark the spot where faithful and loving hands laid the bodies of wife and husband near the church which their care had just restored.

"Those who have been in any way helped by this book, may yet do its writer service by praying for his nine orphan children."

Requiescat in pace. And may the richest blessings of Almighty God descend upon the children of my beloved friend, A. A. Troyte.

Lent, 1859.

R. B.

SECTION I.

THE VANITY OF ALL EARTHLY POSSESSIONS IN THE TIME OF SICKNESS; AND THE BLESSEDNESS OF TRUE RELIGION.

I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

ST. LUKE xiii. 19-21. Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will

I deliver him. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.-PSALM Xci. 15.

EVERY child of Adam must, sooner or later, tread the paths of sorrow and affliction; so full of gloom and terror to all, but the truly humble Christian, who finds peace and joy therein, because his Saviour trod them; when He came as "a man of sorrow," to lay down

B