A CONVERTED NATIVE. 
287 
ship with the Church of Christ. He was a strong, 
healthy lad ; and, to all appearance, was likely to 
live to a good old age. But ‘‘ in the midst of life 
we are in death.” Coleman, in an incautious 
moment, seated himself, while in a state of pro- 
fuse perspiration, upon the cold, damp ground. 
He was taken ill the following day ; and was soon 
confined to a bed of sickness, without a hope of 
his ever being removed from it alive. He seemed 
to be all resignation to the will of Him, by whom 
he was afflicted ; he always appeared grateful for 
any little attentions paid to him ; and was remark- 
ably pleased when any of his friends visited him 
for the purpose of reading to him the Scriptures, 
or of conversing with him upon religious subjects. 
The nature of his disorder was such as to allow 
him time and opportunity to read, and hear much ; 
and to meditate upon what he heard and read. 
His mind was very serene : and there is ground 
to believe that it was the serenity which the Go- 
spel imparts, when it assures the sinner that his 
sins are forgiven, and tliat he is accepted in the 
Beloved. In some of my conversations with this 
youtli, (I call him youth, though a husband and a 
father,) he expressed himself in the most pleasing 
and satisfactory^manner. “Is it true,” he one 
day asked me, “ is it indeed true, that Christ is 
willing to save sinners ; and that He is desirous 
of saving sinners?” My answer was — “Yes; he 
is able and willing to save to the uttermost all 
that come unto God by him.” “ Ah, ah !” said 
