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to restore him from the grave, if he should never love me any more! What shall I do; how shall I act? Dear Sir; shall I go directly to him? If it were in my power to walk on foot, every step of the way, how gladly would I take the journey; if each step would but bring me nearer to heal the heart of that worthy man, who is now dying through my most vile and ungrateful conduct.

[She is again extremely affected while all present join to mingle the tear of sympathetic grief with hers; then she adds:]

Chip. But what is become of my dear child? I hear nothing of him, that innocent miserable orphan, that has, perhaps, by now lost its affectionate father, and has been forsaken by its brutal mother!

Loveg. We have heard nothing as it respects the health or situation of your child; we trust it still lives, and that your mind will be so composed, as that you may live to bring it up in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Chipm. O, Sir, your text, "Can a woman forget her sucking child!"

[She again gives way to excessive grief of mind; Mr. Lovegood catches an opportunity, during the intervals of her grief, to add]

Loveg. But should you not recollect, how God can bring good out of evil; God, we trust, has already accomplished in you the good of repentance, which was indirectly brought about through the hor rid evil of seduction.

Chipm. [After some recollection, a little more calm.] Well, well, if ever I am saved, I shall be the greatest monument of mercy upon earth; but, if God forgives me, I never, never can forgive myself.

Loveg. There are as great monuments of grace already in glory.-Mary Magdalene, out of whom the Lord cast seven devils, Saul, and many others. Hope

for the best. I think, I see a plan of good before us, in all these calamities, which give me reason to believe, that God will get himself more glory by your misguided steps, than might have been the case, had these events never taken place.

Chipm. O, Sir, is it possible?

Loveg. Was ever any thing more glorious than what God accomplished, by permitting the base conduct of Herod, and Pontius Pilate, and Judas Iscariot, to betray, and sell, and crucify our Lord?

Chipm. O, Sir, but these were all wicked, and were punished for their wickedness. And shall I escape?

Loveg. Joseph's brethren, you know, meant evil against him; but God, notwithstanding, overruled it for good to save much people alive: so that, even their evil ways were permitted for their own future good; and you remember, how God brought about matters for the salvation of a thievish Onesimus. Who knows, but your father and your husband may be brought to the knowledge of the gospel, by the same unhappy providence that brought you to Brookfield?

Chipm. O, would to God it might! I think it is that event alone, that will prevent my dying of a broken heart.

Loveg. Well, I have a plan before me, that may, by the blessing of God, be the cause of as great joy to you as present circumstances have made you miserable. You know how unhappily ignorant your father is of the way of salvation, made known in the Bible by Jesus Christ. Poor man, he has no other confidence, but that of a heathen in his own morality : now I mean to send him a very serious letter upon this subject, and recommend him to read some such books as may lead him to the knowledge of the truth;

and, who knows, what a blessing it may be to his soul!

Chipm. And O, dear Sir, do, for the Lord's sake, write upon the same subject to my dear husband: what good can he get from the visits of Mr. Fribble? Shall I go myself and beg his pardon, again and again, that he may forgive me before he dies, and explain to him the little that I know about the matter, since I have seen my folly, and been made to abhor my ways?

Loveg. I really think you had better leave all this to others. A meeting of that sort, under present circumstances, would be too much for you both. But are there no serious people about that neighbourhood?

Chipm. I remember there were a few people who used to meet in some back room, in a lane in our town, and as they were ridiculed, just as you are, I have already thought they might be good people; but then my father was very much prejudiced against them, and my husband was entirely guided by him in religion. O, dear Sir, what would I give if my father and husband could but meet with some one who knows about that christianity, which has wounded my heart, under a conviction of the evil nature of sin, and has made me to abhor myself for my most abominable conduct. ́

Hen. Sir, I feel so much interested on this subject, though I am so young in grace, yet I could almost venture to say, I would ask my father, if he could spare me to go with your letters and the books. I think Locksbury is not above seventy miles from Mapleton; I could get there in two days: and our harvest will not come on these six weeks.

Loveg. Why, Henry, could I leave my charge, I should be happy to go with you; but if you could be spared, such a visit might be attended with most

blessed circumstances; and if your father has not got a horse to spare, fit for the journey, I can almost answer for it, Mr. Worthy will be very happy to accommodate you with one, if your lameness should

not prove an impediment.

Hen. I thank God my hip is much strengthened since I have returned home. I feel very little inconvenience when I ride. I will go home and consult my father, and then I will call on you again.

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Soon after this the conversation terminated with a prayer from Mr. Lovegood. Henry went home to consult with his father about the journey. He was, with some difficulty, persuaded to part with his much beloved son, who was now made so dear to him by the uniting ties of the Gospel, while Mr. Lovegood attended to his engagement, to write a very serious and appropriate letter to Mr. Reader; and to select a few books, such as might be the most conducive to give him a proper view of the Gospel dispensation; and if the reader will but wait, till after Henry's return, he may probably hear of some further events which were the result of this interesting visit. This second little volume, therefore, shall close, by laying before the reader two letters; the one from Mr. Lovegood to Mr. Reader, the other from Mrs. Chipman to her dying husband.

66 SIR,

"TO MR. READER.

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"We all feel ourselves so deeply interested in your family afflictions as to excite us to shew you every possible attention for the alleviation of your distress. By the peculiar wish of your daughter, and by the benevolent assistance of Mr. Worthy, a purpose messenger waits upon you with this, and with some other tokens of our sympathy and respect. D d

VOL. I.

"Mr. Henry Littleworth, the young man who is so kind to be our messenger on this occasion, though once unhappily of a profane and dissolute turn, is now, by the grace of God, become remarkably serious and devout. This makes me feel more tenderly for your daughter, as her case, in some respects, is so similar to his own. Since he has experienced the converting power of divine grace upon his heart, he has considerably cultivated a good understanding, by reading and serious meditation upon useful and profitable subjects. To him therefore, I shall refer you, for all you wish to know, as it respects your daughter's mind; while, at the same time, I have no doubt, but that you will find him capable of advising with you, as it may respect what future steps should be taken, either upon the death or recovery of Mr. Chipman.

"But, dear Sir, with the greatest tenderness, at least as it relates to the feelings of my own mind, I wish to obviate those mistakes, in which you conceive so highly respecting any applause I can take to myself, or any meritorious claim I can ever make before the bar of a just and holy God. Surely, Sir, it is beyond the power of an angel to give him more obedience than is due to his infinitely holy name ; therefore even their perfect services appear before him, as having no meritorious claim, when all the ability must be first received from him, ere any service they perform can be deemed acceptable in his sight.

"Were Gabriel himself to presume to boast, and were the Lord to answer him, "Take that which is thine, and go thy way," would he not sink into nothing before his God? No wonder, therefore, that while they are performing their highest acts of obedience, they are described as veiling their faces, and giving all the glory to Him, who has made

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