200 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



appear comparatively faint, swell upon the sight 

 of those who earnestly study them ; while the 

 others fade away, and elude the grasp. Re- 

 ligion assists him in correcting those illusions of 

 vision ; faith helps him in assigning the proper 

 direction to Tiis hopes ; and he makes it his 

 continual care to preserve the enlightened views, 

 which, through the divine mercy, he has obtained. 

 This awful truth has sunk deeply into his mind, 

 ' The things which are seen are temporal, but 

 the things which are not seen are eternal ;' and 

 a just impression of their relative value enables 

 him to maintain a happy composure in all the 

 vicissitudes of life." 



Before my uncle dismissed us, he said, " This, 

 my dear little friends, is the last quiet home 

 Sunday that we shall have for some time. Be- 

 fore we return, many unforeseen changes may 

 occur ; we are going, as it were, to launch into 

 the world ; we may be separated ; and our 

 regular habits must be unavoidably interrupted. 

 But in every situation we can cultivate and 

 strengthen in our hearts the Christian hope ; 

 and though we may perhaps no longer give each 

 other mutual aid, we can, at least, each of us 

 watch over our own hearts. Let me then intreat 

 your attention to a few practical hints. 



" Never allow yourselves to consider religion as 

 a painful restraint, but rather as the performance 

 of a grateful duty, Whenever that duty has the 



