hopeful state of mind. For a year or more the world and Satan struggled to maintain their supremacy over her soul; but in 1820 she gave herself up to God in a covenant never to be forgotten, impelled thereto at the last, most urgently, by the happy death of a dear friend, who fell asleep in Jesus in that year. About this period, the distressing disease, that was inextricably rooted in her frame, had begun to extend its influence, and break out with greater virulence over her entire person. Under date September 13, 1821, the poor girl thus records her melancholy con dition: and cartilage of the nose being consumed, her face was covered with a band; one of the eyes was lost, the forehead indented, the lips livid, the roof of the mouth so injured that her articulation was very indistinct, while her whole appearance was that of a person whose earthly tabernacle tottered on the grave's brink." Yet, notwithstanding she was in that condition, with gradual steps and slow was she brought to her grave, only toward the close of the year 1849, her path having been one of almost unexampled suffering, its ruggedness smoothed by almost unexampled faith. Throughout this lengthened career of pain, her sole support, except what the casual benevolence of Christian friends provided, was an allowance of three shillings per week from the parish, one of which was appropriated to pay for her accommodation, in a cottage of the most humble kind. But, neat in her person and her surroundings, poverty and disease did not make her sordid and repulsive. On becoming a Christian, too, her education as a poor girl, which had been most limited, she endeavoured to improve by self culture; and, incapable of active occupation, she wrote much. Her letters, many written in midnight hours of pain that forbade sleep, were addressed to friends in the Lord Jesus, and bespeak a religious experience, clear thought, and a power of apt expression of a high order. A kind friend, in humble life like herself, made her a "Before I knew the Lord, I used to think present of a neat deal writing-desk; myself hardly dealt with, and I even wished, with all the horror of impatience, for death to and many a sleepless hour in bed did put an end, as I then impiously thought, to she beguile with correspondence, demy sufferings. The Lord is indeed long-scribing her trials, but, above all, her suffering, and bore long with me, a rebellious "I have this evening been for some time dressing my wounds, when I was told that the whole mass of blood was so affected, that, as soon as it healed in one part, it would break out in another. This I have often been told; but, my heavenly Father, how greatly has it overpowered my weak and unbelieving heart this night! O what a frail creature I am! How often have I said, 'Do with me as it seemetli good in thy sight!' But have I used this prayer in sincerity and truth? If so, why am I so full of heaviness? O my God, make me duly submissive under thy hand! Give me, thy unworthy creature, grace so to be exercised by my sufferings, that, instead of desponding under them, they may work in me the peaceable fruits of righteousness, to the glory of thy great name, and the benefit of my soul. May I remember that thou, my gracious Saviour, hast suffered for me, and be ashamed to complain or murmur at these tokens of a Father's chastening love, to bring a rebellious child home." sinner." comforts. If the few passages we select are rather descriptive of her physical That those sufferings were severe, let sufferings, it must not be overlooked the picture of her mutilated frame, in that many are of a more cheerful kind, the year 1825, sketched by the hand of and that these are presented to show the devout author of her memoir, show. how our gracious Lord magnifies his The Rev. Thomas Curme, Vicar of Sandford, writes of her personal appear-enables to endure peculiar afflictions. grace by the patience wherewith he ance then, when he first made this afflicted saint's acquaintance : "She was as distressing an object to behold as can well be conceived. The bones 1825. "I have for the last eight years borne, or rather have been exercised with, a threefold trial-a frowning world (I mean my former companions in folly), a painful affliction, and deep poverty-that made me feel I was an orphan. And during these years I have found a threefold mercy-God as a Father, Jesus as a Saviour, and the Holy Spirit as a Sanctifier and Comforter. But I have placed this wrong, because the Spirit first convinced me of my state as a sinner; Jesus then revealed himself as my Saviour; then, being justified by faith, I obtained peace with God, as a reconciled Father in Him. And I can no more doubt these things (although I do not always live in the full enjoyment of them) than I can doubt whether or no my kind friend has proved himself interested in my present and everlasting happiness." "Time with me will soon exchange for eternity. O, to be prepared to enter upon its glorious, awful, blissful realities! Shall we together live in the presence of our God? Shall we unite in praising Him who hath loved us and gave himself for us? or will our friendship cease on earth? The loss of the friendship of one of God's dear children on earth would be to me a trial indeed; but to lose an interest in the sinner's Friend-the thought distresses me; how much more would the experience of it! Tears close my sight: O, my Saviour, leave me not-my soul would cleave to thee. But Isaiah xli. 10, answers these thoughts, dishonouring to God, and distressing to my own soul: Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.' "O, how blessed to have a covenant God to go to, saying, My Father, thou knowest what is best for thy poor helpless childthou art the guide of my youth, thou art my portion, my all in all, my more than all!' O yes, I have, indeed, found this to be the case! You know, my sister, I have no father or mother; and ever since the 26th of June, 1812, I have been suffering under a painful malady, which has hitherto resisted the power of medicine. But, blessed be God! blessed for ever be his name! helpless, afflicted, friendless, poor, wanting at one time bread to supply my daily necessities, God became my God, my Father, my Friend: my Saviour became my meat, drink, life, strength, and store, my all in all; my all in the outward want of all." 1828. "The wound you saw in my leg is much worse, and another above, in a bad state. I have also two wounds in my elbow, but they are not so painful. There is much inflammation in my leg, and the pain has been extreme day and night. Yet with gratitude I acknowledge that our God kept my mind stayed on Him; therefore it was I enjoyed perfect peace in the midst of bodily distresses. How cheering the thought that the time will come when the days of my mourning shall be ended." "The wounds look better, but there is a painful swelling in the knee within these few days. I assure you, my heart failed when I discovered this, and tears flowed at the prospect of being a cripple. But faith set all to rights. God has said, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' Besides, God has done so much for me already, that it is surely very wrong in me for a moment to doubt." "I am happy to inform you that two pieces of bone have been taken out of my leg by Dr. Harriet. I did not tremble during the operation; but was much agitated afterwards. It is indeed awful to behold my frame in part dissolved here on earth! O how cheering the anticipation of that hour when my mud-wall cottage will entirely fall!" 1829. "This poor hand, now scribbling to you, is getting sadly diseased. You may recollect, the wrist joint was affected about two years since, when I anticipated losing the use of it. It is now much enlarged, weak, and painful. But I feel that my tears ought to be exchanged for songs of praise. Look back, my soul,-nine years ago I could not tie a string, or do any, even the least matter, when the elbow was diseased in the bone for fifteen months. Again, through the other wrist, I could not use my hand for many weeks. 'Thou hast been my help!' Leave me not now to give way to grief or murmuring at thy wise and fatherly corrections! Oh no! I will wipe away all my tears; or if they flow, it shall be for my disposition to grow faint or weary under thy rod. I look back, and during every repeated trial I have been able to erect an Ebenezer, and say with grateful emotion,' Hitherto hath the Lord helped me!' Will this prove an exception?" "I am learning to cut my bread with the left hand; and I humbly trust I shall find in this renewed trial fresh proofs that our God doeth all things well. I can assure you, my dear Sir, my tears have flowed; and even then, though I am so rebellious, Jesus seemed to hush my rising grief, saying, 'It is I, be not afraid!' Yet it is not the prospect of losing the use of my hand that excites all my grief,-no, no, no,-but I wept because I could not welcome all His sovereign will." might find such suitable refreshment from the word of God. I assure you nature was wearied with the pain;-it was two in the morning. I read the 7th and 8th chapters of Deuteronomy; and do you not think, in remembering only for a few moments the way in which the Lord had led me, every uneasy feeling was hushed?" "I am now resting my left arm on my precious Bible, and my aching head on my hand; and I trust I am leaning on my Beloved. Soon my own head and hand will grow weary-not so His supporting love. I suffer most acutely in my eye, and lie here many succeeding days, having the natural light obscured. I cannot now often read that word which so frequently revived and cheered my painful hours. Still the Lord is good: my meditations of Him are sweet. often glad in the Lord;' and I am While He is my shield and my sun, The night is no darkness to me.'" 1830. "Painful as my malady is, to me it appears, I could not bear its removal. There is much in me that needs correcting, which no eye but God's can discover. Ah! my dear Sir, were I to weigh my sins against my afflictions, light indeed would the latter be. This I do to keep me humble and thankful under my pains. But this is not all I do. I set my sins in a balance with my Redeemer's pardoning mercy and grace, when these superabound over the number and strength of them all." 6 1831. I long to see every sufferer happy in Jesus. Afflictions are not so intolerable as the world supposes. Oh, how dreadful! how dreadful!' people say, in looking at my disfigured face. No-not so very dreadful,' I reply: my afflictions are very sweet to me; I am much happier now than when in the full possession of every member of this sinful frame.' Every part has dishonoured God. He made me, and has a just right to do with me what seemeth him good. The vessels ordained for glory must first be fitted for their place. It is here the lively stones must be prepared for the temple above. No more pain in heaven; no one shall there say, 'I am sick.' Oh, my friend, I do kiss the rod-this is of rich grace." And so on, in a strain of sweet submission, experimental piety, evangelical unction, and intelligent expression, does this suffering happy saint proceed, till at last, the complicated woes of earth were exchanged for the undisturbed bliss of heaven. Her end was triumphant, much more so than might be expected from her lengthened con flict with disease and pain, for the greater part of half-a-century. Almost her last act of consciousness was singing Kelly's hymn throughout, the first verse of which is "Sound, sound the truth abroad, Through the wide world: She entered into rest on the 10th of September, 1849, aged fifty-two. How dignified a thing is true religion! What grace it gives to the life and words of the illiterate and poor! It raises them into a loftier region, and from the familiarity it gives them with celestial thoughts, ennobles both mind and body with celestial dignity. This poor afflicted creature, destitute of all learning, and all incentive to and means of learning, yet polished by the intellectual refinement which Christianity bestows, expresses herself with all the propriety of a University Professor. How consoling is true religion! It comforts in cases where all other comforts fail. The world may solace in almost every trial incident to man; but in the presence of personal affliction, such as Harriet Stoneman's, and the strong pain of virulent disease through successive years, nothing but the gospel of Christ can breathe consolation. The weary and heavy-laden find their only rest in Jesus. The Son of God is still the efficient Comforter of his saints. How saving, how sanctifying is true religion! Sin was ever the heaviest cross of this singularly suffering woman. But her sorrows, ever arising from this source, were absorbed in the joy of salvation. She would say, "Who is he that condemneth?" and reply, "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." "Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!" O. T. D. THE YOUNG MEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION. 329 THE YOUNG MEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION, IN CONNECTION We have much pleasure in laying before our readers the following brief account of the above Association, most cordially recommending its principles and mode of action to those for whom it was designed, and drawing especial attention to one of its principles, which is most happily expressed, and which, in our estimation, is the peculiar feature of the whole Association; it runs as follows: cient means of offering assistance to the The plan was most carefully digested "That, as sympathies run in channels of similar modes of thought and feelings, and as these similarities are found associated with equality of age, Christian youth are best qualified to act upon each other in enterprises requiring heart, soul, mind, and strength." Deeply impressed with this truth, and feeling the difficulty of interesting young men, as a body, in the Missionary work, in connection with existing institutions, the Rev. Samuel Martin, of Westminster, about three years since established the Association, which we believe is destined to achieve most important results in the Missionary world. After a year's labour, he had the pleasure of seeing three auxiliaries formed, numbering two hundred members, which, for eighteen months, were most wisely and beneficially employed in diffusing Missionary information, in the shape of essays (upwards of one hundred having been prepared and delivered), and the circulation of Misters or friends present: the interest of sionary literature. By these means great interest was created amongst the members in the work; and when it was suggested by the Rev. J. Baldwin Brown, that the Society should adopt some "distinct and substantial object," acting upon the advice of the Rev. Dr. Tidman, the Committee recommended We warmly approve of these meetthat an educational establishment, ings; let them be made (as indeed either in the South Seas or in India, they have been) as interesting as posshould be undertaken, as the most effi-sible, and we confidently hope that, on One very pleasing feature in the Association is the quarterly meeting, held at the various chapels of the metropolis, and most interesting and instructive are their proceedings; reports of the present state and prospects of the various auxiliaries are read, and short addresses are given by the minis the meetings is well sustained—and, ! no very distant occasion, encouraging | when this Association shall support all accounts will be read of the progress of the colleges. We are persuaded that young men hitherto have been but slightly interested, and are not, except in a few instances, directly connected with the Missionary work. The fields of labour, to which the Association has directed its attention, yield to none in importance and interest. INDIA, especially, demands and will amply repay more liberal succour than it has hitherto received, and we should rejoice to see the time arrive the Missionary educational establishments in that great country. That would be a work worthy of young men, and would effectually rebut the charge, which is so often brought against them, of want of sympathy with Missions, whilst, at the same time, it would raise up a most important band of Auxiliaries to the London Missionary Society. President. Rev. J. STOUGHTON. Treasurer. CHARLES REED, Esq. Mr. A. R. ScOBLE, Secretaries Mr. J. H. LLOYD. Review of Religious Publications. LIFE OF DR. JOHN REID, late Chandos Professor of Anatomy and Medicine in the University of St. Andrews. By GEORGE WILSON, M.D., Author of the "Life and Works of the Hon. Henry Cavendish." Post 8vo. pp. 324. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. THE man of unsullied reputation, who takes the loftiest walk in a learned profession, is always an object of peculiar interest. Dr. Reid was one of a class, more numerous, perhaps, in Scotland, than in any other country, who rise to professional distinction, in the absence of all adventitious circumstances, by the mere force of their own native genius. He was the maker of his own fortunes; and this, too, in a circle where he had to compete with men of varied and surpassing ability. With no extraordinary promise, as a child, except that he was affectionate and very obedient, he gradually developed, in a course of good educational training, powers of mind of the highest order, especially in the department of physiology, which placed him on the loftiest pinnacle of fame, in a city where, to shine in any branch of medical science, requires unmistakeable pre-eminence and sleepless energy of character. Enthusiasm in the pursuit of truth, in the two great departments of anatomy and physiology, was, so far as we are able to judge, the main source of Dr. Reid's great success. James Clark, Esq., of Glasgow, in a communication to Dr. Wilson, justly portrays the mental habits of Dr. Reid, at a time when he had opportunities of watching his literary course, or rather, the vigorous growth of his scientific knowledge. "When I knew Dr. Reid, the strictly Baconian bias of his philosophy seemed to me almost to have communicated itself to his feelings; it would not be too much to say, that he loved and hoped upon principle,—that principle being the well-known one of Jeremy Bentham. I am profoundly convinced that the structure of his moral sentiments was eminently honest. All make-believe, shuffle, false professions, and the ' thousand and one' forms assumed by insincerity, were unknown to Dr. Reid. I don't imagine he despised falsehood so much as he failed to realize it, and when he perceived it in others, he animadverted upon the exhibition with an easy good-natured joke, devoid of all bitterness. "I do not think he was proud or ambitious,-vain he certainly was not. His mental powers may fairly be said to have been of a high order, that is, solid, but not brilliant. His deficiency of imagination, in my humble view, precludes his being ranked among the children of genius. If I ever thought Dr. Reid uncharitable, it was when he bore down in ridicule upon the gorgeous scientific poetry which sparkled in the reflections of some of his gifted contemporaries. He did not understand the metaphysics of science any more than its poetry; he travelled by easy stages, counting every pebble on the road, scarcely ever lifting his eye to the glorious scenery around him. "In part, this circumspection was owing, I think, to the nature of his chief daily labours. Teaching students to follow arteries to their ramifications, count 'processes' of bone, and peep through 'foramina,' is, perhaps, calculated to dull the excursive faculties,-to |