"I thank you, sir," said the daughter, "for your Christian kindness to me and my friends. I believe the blessing of the Lord has attended your visit, and I hope I have experienced it to be so. My dear father and mother will, I am sure, remember it; and I rejoice in the opportunity of seeing so kind a friend under this roof. My Saviour has been abundantly good to me, in plucking me as 'a brand from the burning,' and showing me the way of life and peace; and I hope it is my heart's desire to live to his glory. But I long to see these dear friends enjoy the power and comfort of religion likewise." "I think it evident," I replied, "that the promise is fulfilled in their case: 'It shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light." "I believe it," she said, "and praise God for the blessed hope." "Thank him, too, that you have been the happy instrument of bringing them to the light." "I do, sir; yet when I think of my own unworthiness and insufficiency, I rejoice with trembling." "Sir," said the good old man, "I am sure the Lord will reward you for this kindness. Pray for us, old as we are, and sinners as we have been, that yet he would have mercy upon us at the eleventh hour. Poor Betsy strives much for our sakes, both in body and soul: she works hard all day to save us trouble, and I fear has not strength to support all she does; and then she talks to us, and reads to us, and prays for us, that we may be saved from the wrath to come. Indeed, sir, she's a rare child to us." "Peace be to you, and to all that belong to you!" "Amen, and thank you, dear sir," was echoed from each tongue. Thus we parted for that time. My returning meditations were sweet, and I hope profitable. Many other visits were afterwards made by me to this peaceful cottage, and I always found increasing reason to thank God for the intercourse I there enjoyed. An interval of some length occurred once during that year in which I had not seen the Dairyman's family. I was reminded of the circumstance by the receipt of the following letter:-- "REV. SIR, "I have been expecting to see or hear from you for a considerable time. Excuse the liberty I take in sending you another letter. I have been confined to the house the greater part of the time since I left ---. I took cold that day, and have been worse ever since. I walk out a little on these fine days, but seem to myself to walk very near the borders of eternity. Glory be to God, it is a very pleasing prospect before me! Though I feel the working of sin, and am abased, yet Jesus shows his mercy to be mine, and I trust that I am his. At such times-- 'My soul would leave this heavy clay At his transporting word, Run up with joy the shining way To meet and prove the Lord. Fearless of hell and ghastly death, I'd break through ev'ry foe; The wings of love and arms of faith Would bear me conqu'ror through.'