1844-54. WORK FOR CHRIST. 365 



Never mind that ; one of my pupils of a former year, a remark- 

 ably acute, hard-headed, and self-reliant lad, has recently passed 

 into one of the latest stages of a hopeless disease. Knowing that 

 his family, though in intellectualities much above the average, 

 in so far as religious knowledge is concerned, were little likely 

 to make known to the lad how soon he must go to meet God, I 

 cast about for some means of getting at my old pupil. His 

 father was in town, and promised to call on me, but was pre- 

 vented. I intended, had he done so, to have asked his per- 

 mission to write to his son, but it was a formidable business to 

 do so by a formal letter. Behold, however, the mercy of God, 

 and His answer to the prayer of a servant who had been asking 

 Him for work ! Whilst I was resolving and hesitating to write, 

 a letter came from the lad himself, asking me to write to him 

 occasionally, as it would be a kindness. I replied at once, and 

 found him glad to have the ice broken in reference to his spi- 

 ritual state. An exacerbation of his illness has turned all his 

 thoughts towards another world, and now he sadly beseeches me 

 to write as often as I can." 



In the same year he apologizes for the non-appearance of a 

 hymn : " It, and all other rhymical work, have been stopped by 

 a painful but pleasing occupation, which has taken up the quiet 

 hours of the Sabbath. A young lady of fourteen, dying of con- 

 sumption, has asked me to write to her, and I have been trying 

 to tell her how the grave may be robbed of victory, and Death 

 of his sting. She is in the country, and has got to expect a 

 letter every week. I don't like to disappoint her, for she is a 

 singularly amiable, gentle person, to whom Heaven, I believe, 

 has already held out a welcome ; and so I have been stopped in 

 the hymns." 



The young lady died about a month later than the date of 

 this letter. A series addressed to her are . full of the tenderest 

 counsels and consolations. They gave great pleasure and com- 

 fort to her in the prospect of quitting this world, and to many 

 besides have they been the means of spiritual good. A valentine 

 sent to this invalid, testifies to the kindly thoughts he cherished 

 of her temporal, as well as her eternal happiness. The accepta- 



