[ELIZABETH MELVILLE, wife of James Colvill, the eldest son of Alexander, Commendator of Culross, was the daughter of Sir James Melville of Halhill, in Fife. Her father was ambassador from Queen Mary to Queen Elizabeth, and a privy councillor to King James VI. He was also a man of piety, who (says Livingstone), "professed he had got assurance from the Lord, that himself, wife, and all his children, should meet in heaven." Lady Culross held a high place among the eminent Christians of her day. Livingstone says: "She was famous for her piety, and for her dream concerning her spiritual condition, which she put in verse, which was published by others. Of all that ever I saw, she was most unwearied in religious exercises; and the more she enjoyed access to God therein she hungered the more." She was present at the famous Communion at Shotts in June 1636, when the sermon preached by Livingstone, on the Monday after, was the means, it is believed, of the conversion of not less than five hundred individuals. The night before had been spent in prayer by a great number of Christians in a large room of the inn where she slept; and the minister who should have preached on Monday having fallen sick, it was at her suggestion that the other ministers assisting on that occasion, to whom Livingstone was a stranger, laid upon him the work of addressing the people. There is a poem written by her, entitled "Ane Godlie Dream;" and there is still preserved a sonnet of her composition, which she sent to Mr. John Welsh when he was imprisoned in Blackness, 1605:-- "My dear brother, with courage bear the cross, Joy shall be joined with all thy sorrow here. High is thy hope, disdain this earthly dross, Once shall you see the wished day appear. "Now it is dark, thy sky cannot be clear; After the clouds it shall be calm anon; Wait on His will whose blood hath bought thee dear: Extol His name, though outward joys be gone. "Look to the Lord, thou art not left alone, Since He is thine, what pleasure canst thou take! He is at hand, and hears thy every groan: End out thy fight, and suffer for His sake. "A sight most bright thy soul shall shortly see, When store of glore thy rich reward shall be." --_Wodrow_ MSS. Adv. Lib. Edin. vol. xxix.] (_CHALLENGES OF CONSCIENCE--THE CROSS NO BURDEN._)