For three weeks before her confinement, she declined fast, and on the morning of that day she assisted in preparing breakfast, and then observed it would be the last time she should assist in that work, which proved true; for the day following her friends were alarmed by witnessing the blood issuing from her lungs, which so weakened her as to confine her to the bed. On being asked if she were willing to die, she replied, "O yes!" Her husband asked, if deprived of her speech, what signal she would give to denote her happiness in God, and prospects of glory? She said, "I will raise my finger." Accordingly, a short time before her death, the neighbors being called in to witness her last struggle, being speechless, to their great joy she repeated the signal several times. Contrary to all expectation, her speech returned; and being in an ecstacy of joy, she exclaimed in rapturous triumph, "O precious Jesus! O glorious Redeemer! O glory to God! I am going home! I am glad I have borne the cross, for now I see a crown of glory reserved for me. O glory! glory! I am going. O Jesus, why do thy chariot wheels delay? He is coming! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, and receive me to thyself. After a few moments of pause, she broke forth again in lofty strains, giving glory to God. She spoke with an audible voice, frequently clapping her hands, saying, "my joys are inexpressible." She then desired them to send for a family who denied the power of religion. When they came, she addressed herself to one of them as follows:-"O Susan-Susan-look at me, and prepare to die! I am happy-Glory! glory! glory! I am going to my Jesus!" Those Christian friends who were present, rejoiced from a feeling sense of the presence of God; while unbelievers wept, and acknowledged it must be the power and work of God. From this time she advanced rapidly towards the termination of her mortal existence; and on Sabbath morning they thought her dead, and accordingly sung, "Happy soul, thy days are ended," &c. But she again revived, and exhorted them all to be faithful. Though they watched her departing breath, and waited to witness the flight of the immortal spirit from its expiring partner, yet she said to them, "I shall not die to-day; but on Thursday I shall finish my work." Accordingly on that evening she closed her eyes in death, and no doubt but her ransomed soul ascended to the regions of the blessed. The text which was used as the foundation of her funeral sermon, will apply to her, it is thought, with great truth-"Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord." She ended her days upon earth in her 29th year. From the Methodist Magazine, Vol. IV.-1821. MISS ELIZABETH PECK. THE following short account of the conversion of Miss ELIZABETH PECK, was written by herself. "I was born in the town of Danbury, Conn. July 22, 1792. When I was two years of age, my parents removed to the town of Middlefield, Otsego county, N. Y. where I spent about twenty years of my life. Here I wasted the morning of life, and experienced the decay of youthful vigor, through a lingering sickness. My parents were religious and brought up their children strictly moral, teaching them to attend public worship at least once a week, which was the means, under God, of so enlightening my understanding, that since my first remembrance I have been followed with serious impressions relative to a future state. Soon did I learn that my happiness hereafter depended on the right use of the means of grace put into my hands. I was therefore induced to form many resolutions to become pious, but would soon find my resolutions not sufficiently grounded, to withstand the allurements of the world and the vanity of my youthful mind. For being fond of gay company and amusements, my heart was often betrayed into sin, which in my moments of reflection caused me to lament the depravity of my heart, and the inconstancy of my zeal for the salvation of my soul. At the age of sixteen I joined a singing school. As I possessed a tolerable voice and a great taste for music, I made considerable proficiency. But though the diversion in itself was innocent and improving, the general spirit of the company which it introduced me into, was such as served to draw my mind from serious things. But blessed be God for his awakening mercy, which pursued me closely, and sometimes in dreams and visions of the night. One of which cannot be easily erased from my memory. I thought that one of my companions at school was taken sick with the typhus fever, and I with several others went to visit him. We found him just expiring in the most frightful appearance, and in all the horrors of a guilty conscience. This awful scene so alarmed me that I awoke. The sensation was so strongly impressed upon my mind, that I thought I had taken the fever from him, and so fancied myself sick. This, with conviction for my past disobedience rolling upon me, so depressed my spirits that I left school. And so it fell out, even as I dreamed. In a few days poor J. C. was violently seized with the typhus fever, which in about two weeks terminated in his death. A few days before which, I was called to go with some friends to see him, I started in haste not thinking of my dream until I opened the door. When in an instant all the affair was opened to my mind. I looked around and saw every circumstance exactly as I dreamed. The weeping friends with the departing son bereft of his reason, and without hope in Christ. My feelings were now harrowed up anew. I also took the fever, and soon became sick in reality. Means however were blessed so that the fever found a crisis before it run to its common height. But oh! how can I paint the anxiety of my mind. It far exceeded my bodily distress. The desperate case of the young man was constantly before me. I fancied I could see his dreadful situation and hear him upbraid me in language like this: You have Christian parents and every spiritual advantage, but alas! how striking the contrast between us! I have been early taught to make a jest of religion, and break the commands of God. Why did you not tell me better?' I was now brought into a strait. I strove to look to God for pardoning mercy; but such crowds of temptations pressed me on every hand, that I was almost prevented raising one desire to heaven. In this state of mind I continued for several months. A certain passage of scripture lay with much weight upon my mind. 'For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost whether he be able to finish it.' These words were opened, and set home to my heart. thought that a tower must cost much labor, and it would be necessary to collect a sufficient quantity of materials fit for the purpose, and then to choose a good situation on a firm foundation. The application was obvious. I found that my mind was carnal and sold under sin. A A great work lay before me, and until it was accomplished, I should be exposed to destruction from the incursions of my enemies. In short, that I must have an interest in Christ, to the expense of all my pride and self-righteousness-That I must be careful to build on the sure foundation, or the winds and the floods would prove destruction, and all my labor be in vain. Thus did I try to count the cost. In retrospecting my life I found that it had been filled up with disappointment, and that my master whom I had served, had but ill paid me for all my toil and pain. At length I learned that a Camp-meeting I was to be held in the town of Munden about ten miles distant. had heard much of such meetings, though never witnessed any for myself. It appeared to me that I ought to attend-that if I did it was probable that I should see or hear something that would prove a consolation to my mind. Accordingly I attended; and found the order of the meeting good. The preaching and praying came like thunder to my soul; and instead of wearing away the disease, seemed to make it still more burdensome and afflictive, until I concluded that it was high time wholly to lay down the weapons of my rebellion, and venture upon Christ, the rock of my salvation. Although this seemed exceedingly difficult, yet as nothing short could possibly save me from the rage of a guilty conscience and the wrath of God-trembling, sick and wounded as I was, being slain by the law and every way cut off-resolving if I must perish to perish at the feet of a crucified Savior, I plead: Gracious Heaven! permit me, even me to approach thee. And in this critical period, when my heart labored under a load intolerable to be borne, between hope and fear, I raised my feeble heart if happily I might see Jesus with a token of peace. And Oh! who can tell the joy of my heart when suddenly I viewed him by faith swaying the golden sceptre within my reach. Instead of finding him at so great a distance as I imagined, I found him near at hand, speaking peace to my soul; saying, go in peace and sin no more. Glory to God for redeeming goodness. My soul exults in the recollection of that triumphant hour, when my sorrow was turned into joy. "Thus I continued praying and praising, until it pleased the Lord to manifest his love to me in showing me the frailty of human nature, by visiting me with a lingering fever, the effects of which no doubt will follow me down to the shades of the silent tomb. This affliction, I humbly trust, has measurably answered the design of Providence. He who knows my proneness to wander, knows also what would terminate in my good. This state of debility has served to wean my affections from this fading world, and place them on things heavenly and sublime." The affliction which she mentions was a nervous fever, which left her in a state of debility, and occasioned a weakness of the stomach of which she never found a radical cure. She spent one season at Ballston springs. The use of the water and the warm bath, afforded her much relief, but did not wholly restore her: yet she was generally able to attend to some useful employment, which did not require very great exertions. She did not fail to improve this affliction to the best advantage. Ever after its commencement she let go her hold on the world, and as she ceased to expect happiness from it, so she ceased to conform to its maxims and principles. She lived with a constant reference to the world of spirits. While she enjoyed intimate communion with God, she gave the fullest evidence for several years that she was a subject of sanctifying grace, though her deep humility prevented her making many professions of it. This grace supported her under all the troubles of life, and gave her a pleasing hope of immortality in the hour of death. The earliest of her letters extant is dated Feb. 2, 1817. In this she observes: "You will please pardon me, my dear brother, if I go on a little farther and inform you, that while I have been reviewing my past reflections, I have not forgotten to apply a share of them to myself. "I have found by experience that there is no better way for me to live than to be a sincere beggar at the feet of Jesus. To sit in the dust, and if possible, get lower still and learn of Christ, to be meek and lowly in heart. I often find my heart impressed with a sense of the danger of an almost Christian, and think what a pity it would be to well nigh reach heaven, and for want of a little more faith and good works, to be cast off. Oh! that God would revive his work in my heart, and enable me to be a Christian in the fullest sense of the word. I do thank the Lord for the measure of his Spirit which I have enjoyed of late. But I still feel the want of a more intimate union with God. I sigh in pain for living bread. I long for your prayers day and night, that I may be faithful to the grace already given, and happily meet you with all the Israel of God to praise him to all eternity." "November, 1817. "I shall now proceed to inform you of my exercises on the subject of professors of religion viewing the world. I think I never had such inferior views of what is called the riches of the world, as I have at present. I see nothing here worthy of my affections. Every thing I behold preaches loudly to me, saying, 'Be diligent in doing thy work, for ere long thou wilt be called to thy long home.' And considering the adversity through which I am at present and shall continue to be called to pass, I do feel that if it should please God, it would be far better for me to depart, believing that I should certainly rest with the people of God. Oh! for some guardian angel to convey my spirit to a happier clime, while the grave kindly opens to receive my mortal body, until the morning of the resurrection. How gladly would I resign myself to its bosom. But all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. "I am yours with much respect, "Hamilton, Nov. 11, 1818. "How sweet the intercourse where hearts agree, "But I find my trembling hand too weak to paint our former friendship either in verse or prose. And may I not say with propriety that the same is still existing between us, although we are separated at present by many miles. And were it possible for me to exchange this opportunity for verbal intercourse, how quickly would I lay aside my pen and tell you all my heart. "My mind is constantly employed in making observations as I pass from scene to scene, and I conclude from the whole that it is a matter of the greatest importance that I act up to the dignity of my character as a moral agent, filling up the rounds of duty during my short co-partnership with flesh and blood; and that I consider who hath placed me here, and for what end I am sent into this world of discipline and trial; and whether I have found my particular allotment on this stage, and am acting the rational part, where angels and men and the Great God, are my spectators. Ah! what |