CHAPTER II.

FROM HER CONVERSION TO HER UNION WITH THE

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

Ir would be difficult for a person blest with such advantages, to trace the time when serious impressions of eternal things first took their rise in her mind. Habituated to a reverence for God's word, to the observance of prayer, and to regular attendance on a gospel ministry, she generally felt that pious persons were right, and that to be among them would be her happiness ; but carelessness, rather than opposition, nurtured indifference, and a direct acceptance of Christ was deferred to a more convenient opportunity. A regard for heavenly things was evidently cherished, and the society of good men preferred to those of a worldly character, even in her days of indecision; still her heart was a stranger to that vital piety, which makes Christ the centre of happiness, and communion with Him the highest pleasure. Yet He who designed her to hold a distinguished place in his church, so ordered his Providence, that several events concurred to make her conversion to himself singularly interesting. The first cloud that darkened the hitherto happy home of these two lovely sisters, was a serious illness which befell Mary, in the year 1826. A pic-nic party, of which Mary was one, spent the day

in the neighbourhood of Totteridge, where they then resided. It was a day of uninterrupted pleasure, and all returned to their houses, delighted with the innocent recreation they had enjoyed, little thinking that Death had cast his dart securely into the lungs of one of their number. The next morning, Mary awoke with an entire loss of voice, which was attributed to a slight cold, from sitting on the grass the previous evening, though the weather was warm and unusually fine; and which, it was hoped, a little care and medicine would soon remove. But the symptoms became every day more alarming; all the aids of the first medical advice, with change of air and scene, were tried in vain; she never recovered her voice; and early in 1827, at the age of twenty-two, she sank under the influence of the same insidious disease which, twenty-one years afterwards, took her sister, then a matured Christian, to the world of bliss, into which she so early entered.

Mary's timid and retiring character had deterred her from making a public profession, by union with a Christian church, which before her death she much regretted, but she had long "adorned the doctrine of God her Saviour," by her consistent, though hidden walk, in the family and private circle, and died "in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life;" and now the sisters are reunited, and are singing together, in far sweeter strains than those by which they so often charmed their listening friends on earth, the praises of "Him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his blood."

The death of Mary was the first link in the chain of events, to bring Martha's heart under the dominion of Christ. It will easily be believed how tenderly she watched her sister during her long illness, how hopefully she cherished every symptom of amendment, and how acute was her sorrow when her precious companion was taken from her; but He who dried up the chief source of her earthly comfort, turned her affections into a new channel, which ran towards the heaven into which her sister had entered. Her enlightened judgment saw the vanity of health, pleasure, and talent,—the utter insufficiency of all human aid and comfort in the article of death,—and the absolute necessity of a conscious interest in Christ, as the best preparation for a useful life, and a happy eternity. Her impressions, however, went no further, and it was reserved for another event to deepen and mature them.

The daughter of an old and valued friend, about her own age, to whom she was warmly attached, came on a visit to her parents. Martha, though not valuing prayer as a spiritual exercise, maintained with great punctuality and order the hour of retirement for reading the scriptures and devotion, to which she had been accustomed by her mother from her childhood, and to which the recent death of her sister had given a new impulse. Her young friend observed that this time was always kept sacred for the purpose, and as she did not think it absolutely necessary, manifested an indifference to the same scrupulous watchfulness. Martha entreated that she would retire for the same objects at the same time.

She consented, and not many months elapsed, before she began to feel the value of her soul, and the importance of its salvation-her reading and prayer attained a vitality and energy which Martha had never reached, and this duty became one of the most exquisite pleasures. She saw, felt, and enjoyed the blessedness of the man whom God causes to approach unto him. And now her deepest concern was that her friend, who had urged her to practise this heavenly exercise, might enjoy its spiritual as well as formal observance. In her turn. she became a pleader with Martha to seek Christ earnestly, and her salvation immediately; and with God for her, that she might taste the blessing she had instrumentally imparted to her friend. This Martha felt to be the one thing needful, and the peace and comfort she witnessed in her friend, gave energy to her petitions that she might fully possess the precious gift of justification. He who hears the sighing of the prisoner did not disdain her prayer.

Behold another link in the chain of events, which led to her conversion and decision for God. A District Visiting Society was formed about this time in Enfield, to supply the temporal wants of the poor. One of the districts was assigned to Martha, and at her mother's request she began her responsible duty of visitation. Before she undertook it, she felt her utter incapacity to direct others to that fountain of life, of which she had not yet herself tasted, and often and earnestly entreated God to give her light and wisdom.

Little did she think how God was about literally to

answer that sincere desire. In the district assigned her, lived a poor woman of the name of Taylor, nearly ninety years of age, exceedingly ignorant and prejudiced. She had never entered a place of worship, except to be baptized, married, and churched, but, like Martha, was now earnestly desirous of understanding and enjoying the way of salvation, and proposed numerous questions to her young and interesting visitor about the atonement, and especially how she could become interested in it. Her enquiries were made with such evident sincerity and anxiety, as to send Martha home ejaculating, "Oh, that I could show this poor woman the salvation of Jesus Christ! Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes!" and resolving that she would search the Bible and other religious books, till she could understand this great doctrine herself, and explain it to her aged pupil. For two months her visits were repeated nearly every day; she became more and more interested in the increased anxiety of the old woman for explanations, which, though through her reading they were given with theological accuracy, were not tasted, and handled, and felt by herself as the word of life. One morning after earnest prayer to God to prepare her for her intended visit, she remembered, when living at Hackney, to have heard Dr. Burder deliver a series of lectures on the "Essentials of Religion," in which she was much interested. As she possessed them in a printed form, she took up the book, hoping to find some elucidation of the way of salvation, to assist her in her conversation that day with Mrs. Taylor. While reading, a flood of heavenly light seemed poured upon her mind,