To Mrs. J——

Responsibility of parents in regard to the salvation of their children — A memorable struggle — The Spirit’s intercession — Prayer answered — Parents should resolve on the salvation of their children — Children under sentence of death — A child born of the Spirit — Young converts may be holy — An interesting disciple — Remarks of a minister.

My Beloved Sister, — ‘Yours of August 24th was received yesterday. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Next in importance to the happiness of knowing that Ave have been elected unto eternal life through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, is the knovv’ledge that our children are walking in the truth. Truly may we unite with the beloved apostle and say, “I have no greater joy” The responsibility of parents, in regard to the salvation of their children, seems to be so nearly allied to what our obhgations are in relation to the salvation of our own souls, that the connecting link scarcely stands dissevered in my mind. The promises are to the righteous and their seed. I have had seasons of deep and earnest solicitude in wrestling with God for the salvation of my own soul, yet these, I think, but lightly compare with the unutterable travail I have at times endured, since I have been a mother, for the salvation of my chil- “Death or Victory.” Agony of Soul. Help of the Spirit.

dren. One of these occasions I may never forget through time or eternity.

I had said, “I will not let thee go,” resolved rather to die in the contest than to yield the point. For months my soul had been burdened, and Satan had seemingly been permitted to withstand me more successfully on this than any other subject. And strange to tell, on every other point the throne of grace seemed more accessible than on this. I think I may say, that the resolve now was “death or victory.” So intense was the agony of my spirit, that my physical nature could not have endured the struggle much longer, and it was not until several days had elapsed that my health re* gained its former tone. Shall I say that I felt that heaven could hardly be a state of bliss for me, if the offspring of my body were doomed to everlasting burnings? With Moses, I seemed almost constrained to say, “If thou wilt not, blot my name out of thy book.” Why this remarkable trial of my faith and patience was endured, I perhaps may never know in time; for, for several hours the saddest part of my cup was that I seemed left to struggle alone. It was only a little before deliverance came, that I said. If I have the help of the Holy Spirit, let me have some apprehension of it, whereupon I received an indescribable view of how the Spirit itseJf had been making intercession during all the hours of that memorable day before the

Victory. Resolve on your Child’s Salvation.

throne, in behalf of my child. O what a consciousness was given, that the Holy Spirit had made my heart its abode, and that the Lord was making me the instrument in the salvation of the child! From that moment faith seemed almost changed to sight, and so assured was I, that it was the Spirit itself that maketh intercession, that my own identity seemed for the time in a manner lost, and I could only think of myself as an instrument, given up wholly through the power of the Spirit to God.

It seems to me, as if no truly pious parent need ever be disheartened in view of the ultimate salvation of his children, if the resolution, that they shall be saved, be determinately persisted in. This resolve must, of course, include the purpose that every earthly consideration shall be subservient to this object. I fully believe if I had been less importunate, or less persevering on the occasion referred to, that I should not have prevailed with Israel’s God; for, as I have intimated, he did not seem to regard my prayer, but rather to say, “Let me alone.” Had Jacob’s courage failed one half hour before the blessing came, would he have been called Israel? But we had better go limping all our days, or die in struggles for the salvation of our children, rather than that they should dwell with everlasting burnings. How pious parents can enjoy life, and go on as happily as though all were

Parents at Ease. Children under Sentence of Death.

well, while their children are under the sentence of death, is surprising. Were their children under the sentence of temporal death, from having broken the laws of their country-, would we expect to see these parents enjoying life, and as much at ease as though all were well? Such parents would be thought destitute of natural affection. And how can God and angels look upon parents, who are comparatively at ease, while their children are tinder a sentence, which, without an hour’s warning, may be executed, and their offspring doomed to a fate more fearful than the death of the body a million times told! Have such parents faith in God? Do they believe that the sinner is condemned already?

I do not wonder that you so greatly rejoice that

your beloved J has been born of the Spirit.

Our hearts respond with yours in the exclamation, “Glory to God in the highest.” May he be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Either for the youthful disciple, or for the more mature Christian, this is an important admonition. In about the same measure we abound in labor for the salvation of those around us, God dispenses blessings to our souls. “He that watereth, shall be watered also himself.” If

dear J has fixed his aim on being a decided

follower of the Saviour, I hope he is expecting a dailT/ cross. It may perhaps be a cross from which

Young Converts maybe holy. An Interesting Disciple,

the flesh may shrink, to tell his young friends what great tilings the Lord has done for him; but in doing this, his own soul will be greatly strengthened, and he will at once begin to be a preacher of righteousness. May my dear friend commence at once to gather stars for the crown of his rejoicing!

I hope, dear J, will bear in mind that young

converts may be holy. I witnessed an encouraging exemplification of this on Tuesday. An intelligent lady, who experienced religion about four weeks since, was at our afternoon meeting. Her husband and herself were both skeptical, and, at the time of her conversion, grace made a wonderful transformation. By the permission of her husband, she at once commenced family prayer, and also other religious duties, such as asking a blessing at meals, laying aside her gay and costly apparel, (fee. The pious minister who was instnimental in her conversion, loved holiness, and took pains to instruct this interesting disciple in the way. He gave her the “Way of Holiness,” and other books also were sent to her; but one book she had which eclipsed all others: for this, she said, was full of holiness. This book was the Bible. She had been telling me how she felt, while endeavoring to sustain the family altar in the presence of her husband. I said, in return, “What you now want to enable you to bear up triumphantly amid these trials, is the blessins: of holiness.” This she was dis-Forty Years in going an eleven days’ Journey.

posed to acknowledge, but soon said, “Why is it that so many professors seem to know so little about this blessing? I told an aged minister my feelings in reference to it, and he said, I was yet too young in experience to expect the blessing.”

I assured her that it was not with the example nor the opinions of men that she had to do, and recalled her acknowledgment that the Bible was full of requisitions to be holy, and for the moment the tempter seemed silenced, when she brought up the experience of an aged brother which had been given in during the meeting; which experience went to say, that he had been forty- seven years a full believer in the doctrine of holiness, and though he had sincerely and earnestly coveted the attainment, he had not yet received the desire of his heart. “Why,” she continued, “should others be so long in arriving at this point, if I may gain it so soon?”” And why were the Israelites forty years in arriving at a point which might have been reached in eleven days? Was it not because of their unbelief? More than eleven days have passed since you were brought out of spiritual Egypt, and surely you will not hmit the Holy One of Israel, and provoke him to send you back to wander in the wilderness. You have come up to the borders of the promised land. Will you not now step over into

‘The land of rest from inbred sin,
The land of perfect holiness V”

TRAGMENTS FROM MY PORTFOLIO. SSl

Sinful to doubt God’s Willingness or Ability now.

With looks expressive of unutterable desire, she said, “I believe the Lord will bring me in.” “When do you think he will bring you in?” “I do not know, but I think it will not be long.” “He has assured you of his willingness to save you this moment, and it is sinful to doubt either his ability or his willingness to save you now. Do you believe that God would be faithful to his word, if you should now venture body, soul, and spirit, wholly and for ever upon Christ?” “I believe he would.” Will you begin to trust him, and by a continuous act rely momentarily on your Saviour for salvation from all sin? The poet says, —

‘But is it possible that I

Should live and sin no more?
Lord, if on thee I dare rely,
The faith shall bring the power.’

Now you would not dare dishonor your Saviour so much as not to believe that he would save you from sin this and every succeeding moment, if you would trust him.” Her faith gathered strength, and she said, “I know he would save, and I will trust him.”” Why should you not believe that he is saving you, if you are 7ioio relying upon him for full salvation? If you are being saved it is because Christ is saving you; and do you not feel that you are this moment saved, and can you not say, —

* Thou from sin dost save me now,
And thou wilt save me evermore?’”

With emotion she said, “Bless the Lord, I am saved.”

A Young Convert sanctified. Remarks of a Minister.

A gracious baptism of the Spirit was given, and in the full assurance of faith she cried out, “01 am sanctified; glory be to God!” A little band of devoted ones had lingered with us after the close of the meeting, and we fell upon out knees and ascribed glory to the Father, Soil, and Holy Spirit.

God is no respecter of persons; what he has done for one, he is willing to do for another. If

J ’s mother received the witness of holiness,

when she was but little over ten years old, so clearly, that she has never since doubted that she was then made the partaker of this precious grace,

why may not J, thus early in his Christian life,

set out to receive the full impress of the Holy Spirit? A minister of deep and enlightened piety, in exhorting the friends at the Tuesday meeting, said, That from careful observation, he had become settled in the conviction, that by far the most successful time to urge the attainment of holiness, was when the mind was tender from its first reception of regenerating grace. Now, said he, is the time to give it the mold, before the young affections have learned to be truant, and the mind has become used to parley with the tempter, and to yield to his suggestions.

Present my regards to brother J and all

the members composing your pleasant family circle. Your ever devoted sister.

A Memorable Day. Temptation. Humiliation.