offer for myself, no plea to put in why God should not utterly destroy me, but that Jesus died to save, to pardon, and to bless me. It is his free gift, and not my deserving. O, papa! what would become of me if salvation were by works? What have I ever done? and, above all, what, in my present state, could I now do, to merit anything at his hands? God forbid that I should rest upon such a flimsy, fallacious system of divinity as that which ascribes merit to man. I have no merit. I can have none. I thank God I have long known this. I fear many trust in themselves, and thus rob Christ of his glory.'

"I referred," says his father, at another time, "to a conversation which I once had with an individual, who objected to an application of that expression, the chief of sinners,' to himself, and said it was only intended to describe the peculiar circumstances of St. Paul. Then I am sure,' said Wilberforce, 'that person could not have been rightly convinced of guilt in his own conscience. I do not know what the critic may say on such a passage, but I am quite satisfied that when the heart is opened to itself, the expression, "chief of sinners," will not appear too strong to describe its character. I have often heard you say, papa, that the view of religion which most honours God, is that which most debases the sinner, and exalts the Saviour. I never felt this to be so true as at the present moment.' His pallid, but intelligent countenance, as he said this, seemed to express more than he could find words to utter."

Towards the close of his life, when his fever ran high, he awaked from a short doze. "I observed him," again says his father, "rest his eyes on a globe of water, which stood near the window and contained a gold-fish. I inquired what he was looking at so earnestly. He replied, 'I have often watched the mechanical motion of our gold and silver-fish in that globe. There is now only one

left, and that seems to be weak and sickly. I wonder which of us will live the longer, that fish or I.' He paused, and then added, 'That fish, my dear papa, is supported by the water in the vessel, but I hope I am supported by the waters of salvation. The fish will soon die, and live no more; but if I am upheld by the water of salvation, I shall live forever.' Soon after, a gleam of light from the setting sun shone upon the goldfish, and produced a brilliant reflection from its scales, as it swam in the glass vessel. 'Look,' said he, 'at its beauty now.'

"So, my dear boy, may a bright and more glorious sun shine on you, and gild the evening of your days."

"I hope,' he replied, although I sometimes feel a cloud and a doubt pass across my mind, that in the evening-time there shall be light; and then in His light I shall see light." "

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The conflicts of this young man as death approached, were sometimes unusually severe. 'O death, death! what is it? I have still to go through death-the dark valley." Suddenly, with a wild expression of countenance, and in a bitter tone, he exclaimed, "O agony! agony! agony! I shall perish after all! Satan will have me after all! Papa, pray for me; he tells me I shall be lost-he tells me my sins will damn me. O, papa, this is agony! all is dark, dark-all gone, all lost! And has Christ brought me thus far, to leave me at last?"

The father remonstrated, wept, and prayed with his son. But he could not receive the offered consolation.

"O papa, what will become of me? I am going into the dark valley alone. Jesus has left me! It is all dark, dark, dark! The rod and staff' do not support me. Satan fights hard for me, and he will carry me away at last."

At length the cloud departed, and the sunshine of

salvation beamed again upon the spirit. Here is the blessed exit:

"What is to-morrow?' he asked.

"It is the Sabbath.'

"He seemed pleased, and earnestly begged that the congregation might be requested to pray in the church. On Sunday morning he was much weaker, and his end was evidently fast approaching. To a kind friend, who had nursed him, he said, 'How do I look now?'

"She saw the approach of death in his languid eye and pallid countenance. You look worse, master Wilberforce; I do not think that you can live much longer.'

"The effect produced by her opinion was truly astonishing. His dim eye lighted up, all his features assumed a new life, and, turning to her, he said: 'O, thank you, dear Mrs. G-; good news-you tell me good news. Shall I indeed be in heaven to-day?' His father came into the room. 'Papa,' said he, 'how do I look— am I altered?'

"No, my dear boy, I see little difference in you.'

"He was evidently disappointed. 'Do you see no difference?' said he, 'Mrs. G- does. She has made me happy; she thinks I may die to-day.'

"My father sat with him the whole of the day while we were at church, and Willy asked him to read the service for the visitation of the sick. He listened with devout attention, and when it was ended, he said, 'O, my dear papa, what beautiful prayers! what an affecting service! It expresses my whole heart.'

"He then said to his mother, 'I love to look at you, mamma. I love to smile at you, but I want to smile at Jesus.'

'He had been accustomed to teach a class in a Sunday school, and begged that his dying message might be written down and sent to the children that evening. He had not been able to lie in bed for a week, owing to the

pain in his side; but on Sunday evening, he expressed a wish to be undressed and put to bed, being inclined to sleep. He was accordingly put to bed, and lay very tranquil and comfortable. His father stood watching beside him, till he thought him asleep. He then went to his study, as he afterwards told us, to pray, that if it were God's will his child might have quiet and ease in his last moments; for he much dreaded the severity of a dying agony, which, from the past, he thought probable. As he was going away, he blessed him, and, looking at him as he lay, serene and beautiful in his repose, he said: 'So He giveth his beloved sleep.'

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Willy opened his eyes on hearing these words, and replied, 'Yes, dear papa; and the rest which Christ gives is sweet.' These were his last words. He immediately sank into a long and peaceful slumber. We were sitting near him. Mrs. G his faithful nurse, stood and watched beside him. We could hear distinctly every breath he drew, and the least change in the sound was perceptible. One or two breathings were slower and longer, which made us get up and look at him. He appeared as if slumbering very sweetly. There was no alteration in his countenance, and we were going to sit down again, when Mrs. G said: 'Call your papa immediately.' We did so, and he came just in time to hear his last sigh."

2. ELIZA M

"These birds of paradise but long to flee

Back to their native mansion."-PROPHECY OF DANTE.

THE young lady whose departure is here narrated, was placed in that rank of life, in which an opportunity is possessed for following the gayeties of the world.

"Before it pleased God to engage her attention to the great concerns of a future state, she was in some danger of being too much captivated with the fascinating splendour of gay and polite life. The death of a relation was the means, in the hand of the Almighty, of leading her to see, in a just light, the vanity of the world. This event produced such sensations and reflections in her mind, as had the most salutary tendency. She began to be apprehensive, from the precarious state of her health, that she had no reason to expect a long continuance here. Death, at that time, appeared to her with a most dreadful aspect, because she knew herself to be a sinner, and not in a state of reconciliation and friendship with God.

"The pardon of sin, the sanctification of her nature, and a disposition suited to the heavenly world, she was fully convinced, were necessary to future happiness. For many childish and youthful follies she stood selfcondemned; and though she did not make known her inward disquietudes to any one, she had, for some time, sore conflicts in her own breast. She sought relief from God only, pouring out her requests before his throne for that mercy which is never denied to those who sincerely ask it in the name of Jesus. He who hath said, 'I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me,' was pleased to manifest himself to her, in