a sufficient excuse; but she had no mind at home to pray to God in her affliction, to read the Bible, and to seek for a better knowledge of that Saviour of whose love and preciousness she was so completely ignorant. Serious conversation was equally irksome to her, and the listless Yes or No which accompanied any religious exhortation, showed that the heart was untouched, either by the gracious invitations of her Lord, or by the many sorrows sent in mercy to lead her on the way to the throne of grace. Pious advice and warning were not offered to her without testifying kind feeling and sympathy in her temporary wants. She felt that I was her friend, and expressed her gratitude always in the warmest and most heartfelt manner. How often I longed that she might experience the same energy of grateful feeling for the ever-compassionate friend of sinners-Jesus, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. As month after month passed away, and each day arrived for the usual visit to her room, my heart often sank within me as I touched the latchet of the door. The grand object of the visit was to offer Gospel comfort, tidings of great joy, light and life in Christ Jesus; but it was with her a tale so often told, and so long unheeded, that the repetition of them became fatiguing to myself. Her coldness seemed to freeze my lips: and it was continually a painful effort to do my duty, and not to leave her without endeavouring to inculcate some Scripture instruction, or to offer some spiritual advice. The third autumn arrived, and on my return to town, after an absence of many weeks, I found poor Mary * * * in a rapid decline, already confined by weakness and exhaustion to her bed, from which she was to rise no more. Her mind was greatly agitated respecting death and eternity; her sins were set in a dreadful array before her. It The blessed promises of pardon and peace, through a crucified Saviour, were repeated to her; but she would answer in anger, “Oh, no; not for me, not for me! I have obstinately rejected that Saviour, despised his love, misspent his holy day, neglected prayer; no, pardon and peace are not for me. is too late, God will not receive me now." With the most tenacious memory she would repeat, for her self-condemnation, warnings which I had urged upon her months and months before, particularly that of not having sought the Saviour while she was in health, but deferring eternal things till the hour of sickness and death. Such weighed heavy on her mind, and also, extremely, the neglect of the Sabbath, thus dishonouring God and abusing the means of grace, in spite of the continued unremitting exhortations she had received for so long a period. She thought surely that the day of grace was gone for ever-that she was a sinner, too vile to be pardoned. For some days it pleased God that she should suffer much under a sense of her sinfulness, and be humbled to the very dust; but it was not long before she was permitted, through the power of the Spirit, to receive the joyful truths of free and full redemption through a dying Saviour, to view him as her Lord and her God; to believe that His blood was indeed shed for her as well as for all who receive him into their hearts by faith. Thus in penitence and prayer she reached the fountain of living waters, and drew day by day deep and refreshing draughts from the well of salvation. Poor Mary lingered for many weeks; her bodily sufferings were great! but she never uttered a complaint. Her heart was full of praise and thanksgiving to God for his rich unlimited mercies. One day when she was very near her end, finding her in acute pain, I offered to defer our usual reading and prayer till she felt more relieved; but she could not bear that. She assured me that she had been counting the minutes for my arrival. "It is," she said, "the most beautiful hour; my pain seems almost to leave me, and I feel as if in heaven." She was constantly ejaculating prayer night and day, and rested upon her Saviour as upon a rock, her all in all; and thus her spirit gently fled, in faith, and in great peace. How greatly humbled I felt at the review of my own weak faith in respect to this poor woman, my feeble zeal for her soul, my little confidence in the God of truth. Was the unsuccess of my visits for three years any reason to cause me to feel faint-hearted? Was it so very long a time "to tarry the Lord's leisure?" Had I not God's own promise that his word should never return to Him void, but like the snow and rain, it should descend, and fertilize, and bring forth fruit? And then to think of the compassionate love of God, so graciously deigning to pass by my coldness and unbelief, and to allow me to attend the dying-bed-to witness myself that the word which I had thought so often repeated in vain, had finally, through grace, become an engrafted word, able and effectual to melt the stony heart, and to save the soul alive. May the same Holy Word help my unbelief, increase my zeal, and perfect that which concerneth me! VISITORS' EXTRACTS. R. E. had for some years been afflicted with a cancerous affection in the face, which, added to his avowed infidel principles, had prevented him attending any place of worship. During the past summer he listened, for almost the first time, to some observations I made on the importance and indispensable necessity of the "new birth;" after which he confessed he saw the importance of religion more than ever he had done before, and promised that when he was in better health he would attend a place of worship. This, however, never took place; for, on the 29th of September last I found him, when I visited his wife, who was very ill, more than usually unwell. On the following Sunday he was much worse, and his medical attendant pronounced him in a very dangerous state. During the day he expressed a great desire to see me, of which I was informed in the evening, and immediately went to him. On entering the room I saw he was dying, but on perceiving me he appeared to recover a little; and having expressed his satisfaction and great gratitude for previous opportunities of instruction, he stated that he had been quite anxious to see me all the day. I lost no time in reminding him that, as a sinner, there was no hope for him but Jesus Christ, and spent about an hour with him, showing him his state as a sinner, and the efficacy of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. During the night he seemed much more composed, and sent for me early on the following morning. I went accordingly. He was evidently much more calm, but in the forenoon he said, "Tis no use; I have drove off till it is too late." His daughters reminded him, that the "blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." દ "Yes," he said; "Satan has been tempting me, but I will trust in Jesus." I saw him again at noon, and encouraged him to believe and to trust on the allatoning sacrifice of Christ, when, with surprising emphasis, he exclaimed, "I want to lay fuller hold." He died at four the same afternoon, but not without hope. A lady who lately visited and its vicinity in behalf of the Portman-square District Society, perceiving, on conversing with a poor man who had long sat under the ministry of a faithful minister of the Gospel, that "hearing he had heard, but had not understood," lent him HARVEY'S Theron and Aspasio, and a small collection of suitable tracts. These he perused with deep attention, and, under the Divine blessing, with great spiritual edification. The little spark of renewing grace, if (which appeared very doubtful) previously imparted, soon became a flame, and from that period the man rapidly evinced the most satisfactory proofs that he was a teachable, enlightened, spiritual-minded, consistent Christian. A few months afterwards he was seized with his last illness, the lingering and painful disorder of a cancer in the mouth. But the gracious promise," As thy day so shall thy strength be," was abundantly accomplished to him. Exemplary in patience, no murmurs escaped him; firm in faith, and steadfast in hope, he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, fearing no evil, until his prepared spirit was gathered unto the spirits of the just made perfect. The Visitor has the pleasure of thinking that his widow derived much spiritual benefit from his example, and the sanctification of her affliction, and that she is walking steadily in the good ways of the Lord. SYMPATHY OF THE POOR. A gratifying instance of the sympathy evinced by the poor towards their neighbours has recently come to the knowledge of a lady, who, on visiting a very distressed blind woman, in the parish of was informed by her that she is almost every Sunday indebted for a dinner to the kindness of a female residing in the kitchen of the same house, who, though having but an indifferent husband, and being therefore the chief support of her family (a task of much difficulty, as she is a great sufferer from illness), declares, when remonstrated with by her blind friend, that as she always contrives to get her family a comfortable dinner once a-week, she is resolved she shall never want a meal upon that day, and is sure that what she thus bestows is never missed. Besides this instance, another may be mentioned of a poor family residing in the next room to this blind woman, who frequently relieve her necessity by sending a mess of broth, or a plate of meat, from their own scanty table. The gratitude with which these benevolent favours are received, and the feelings of reciprocal kindness to which they give rise, are most pleasing and (may it not be added) instructive to witness. DR. FARRE'S TESTIMONY TO THE PHYSICAL Yes. [Delivered before a Committee of the House of Commons.] You have practised as a physician for many years ? State the number of years.-Between thirty and forty." Have you had occasion to observe the effect of the observance and non-observance of the seventh day of rest during that time?—I have. I have been in the habit, during a great many years, of considering the uses of the Sabbath, and of observing its abuses. The abuses are chiefly manifested in labour and dissipation. The use, medically speaking, is that of a day of rest. In a theological sense it is a holy rest, providing for the introduction of new and sublimer ideas into the mind of man, preparing him for his future state. As a day of rest, I view it as a day of compensation for the inadequate restorative power of the body under continued labour and excitement. A physician always has respect to the preservation of the restorative power, because if once this be lost, his healing office is at an end. If I show you, from the physiological view of the question, that there are provisions in the laws of nature which correspond with the Divine commandment, you will see from the analogy, that “the Sabbath was made for man" as a necessary appointment. A physician is anxious to preserve the balance of circulation, as necessary to the restorative power of the body. The ordinary exertions of man run down the circulation every day of his life; and the first general law of nature, by which God (who is not only the giver, but also the preserver and sustainer of life,) prevents man from destroying himself, is the alternating of day with night, that repose may succeed action. But although the night apparently equalizes the circulation well, yet it does not sufficiently restore its balance for the attainment of a long life. Hence one day in seven, by the |