to remove you to a place where you can be more comfortable," repeated the visitant. Fixing his wandering glance upon the stranger, his eye grew steadily bright, as the film of death was for a moment withdrawn from it, a radiant smile kindled upon his features, then raising himself upon his bed of straw, he looked upward, and in a firm voice exclaimed, "My dear sir, you are too late-you are

too late. The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, have been waiting for me all the morning." And he clasped his pale hands and shouted the blessed name of Him in whom he triumphed, but almost ere the echo of his song had ceased, the mantle which he had worn on earth fell aside, and he was not-for God took him. H. M. P. Portland.

"For she was born above the stars to soar, And kindling at the source of life, adore."

Ir is peculiarly delightful to the intelligent and devout mind to learn, in any instance, that an individual possessed of superior acquirements, and pre-eminent talent, is under the influence of the grace of the gospel, and that that individual enters eternity, reposing unlimited confidence in the love and atonement of the Redeemer; and when this person is one who exerts a commanding power over his age, as a writer, whether in prose or poetry, it is most refreshing to ascertain that the divinity of the Christian religion is recognized; and that the claims of that religion are felt; that the preciousness of that religion is experienced; and that, in the dying hour, the supports of that religion are enjoyed.

Few writers of the age, it is obvious, have imparted so much pleasure to persons of cultivated minds, poetic taste and sensibility, in every district of the land, as the late Mrs. Hemans, and in the productions of few female authors do we find more beautiful specimens of polished language, vigorous

imagination, graceful, tender, and glowing thought. The versification of her poems, the imagery employed, the range of subjects, and the vivid and impressive manner in which her principal compositions are penned, combine to render her one of the most captivating and influential writers of the British empire. How delightful, then, is it for the Christian to be able to cherish the hope that during her last illness, she was brought effectually to the Saviour, and that when she expired, she died calmly and happily in the Lord,

among the mountain scenery of the fine county of Wicklow, during a storm, she was struck by one beautiful effect on the hills; it was produced by a rainbow diving down into a gloomy mountain pass, which it seemed really to flood with its colored glory. "I could not help thinking," she remarked, "that it was like our religion, piercing and carrying bright ness into the depth of sorrow, and of the tomb." All the rest of the scene around that one illuminated spot, was wrapt in the profoundest darkness.

During her last illness, Mrs. Hemans delighted in the study of sacred literature, and particularly in the writings of some of our old and choice divines. This became her predominate taste, and it is mentioned respecting her, that the diligent and earnest perusal of the Holy Scriptures was a well-spring of daily and increasing comfort. She now contemplated her afflictions in the right manner, and through the only true and reconciling medium, "and that relief from sorrow and suffering, for which she had been apt to turn to the fictitious world of imagination, was now afforded her by calm and constant meditation on what alone can be called 'the things that are.'

When the cholera was raging in Dublin, she wrote to a dear relative "To me there is something extremely solemn, something which at once awes and calms the spirit, instead of agitating it, in the presence of this viewless danger, between which and ourselves we cannot but feel that the only barrier is the mercy of God. I never felt so penetrated by the sense of an entire dependence upon him, and though I adopt some ne

cessary precautions on account of Charles, (her son,) my mind is in a state of entire serenity."

While the work of decay was going on surely and progressively, with regard to the earthly tabernacle, the bright flame within continued to burn with a steady and holy light, and, at times, even to flash forth with more than wonted brightness. On one occasion, she finely expressed, when there was a favorable change in her condition-"Better far than these indications of recovery is the sweet religious peace which I feel gradually overshadowing me, with its dove-pinions, excluding all that would exclude thoughts of God.”

This gifted lady wrote, with peculiar beauty, on another occasion, "I wish I could convey to you the deep feelings of repose and thankfulness with which I lay, on Friday evening, gazing from my sofa upon a sunset-sky of the richest suffusions, silvery-green and amber kindling into the most glorious tints of the burning rose. I felt its holy beauty sinking through my inmost being, with an influence drawing me nearer and nearer to God."

Her confidential attendant, a most interesting young female, devotedly attached to her mistress, expressed herself respecting her in the following delightful and impressive manner-"It may well be said, this was not her rest.— She ever seemed to me as a wanderer from her heavenly Father's mansion, knowing too much of that home to seek a resting place here. She often said to me, 'I feel like a tired child, wearied and longing to mingle with the pure in heart." At other times she would say, 'I feel as if I were sitting with Mary at the feet of my Redeemer, hear

ing the music of his voice, and learning of him to be meek and lowly,' and then she would say, 'O, Anna, do you not love your kind Saviour? The plan of redemption was, indeed, a glorious one; humility was, indeed, the crowning work. I am like a quiet babe at his feet, and yet my spirit is full of his strength. When any body speaks of his love to me, I feel as if they were too slow; my spirit can mount alone with him into those blissful realms, with far more rapidity."

999

The sufferings of Mrs. Hemans, prior to death, were most severe and agonizing; but all were borne in the most uncomplaining manner. Never was her mind overshadowed by gloom; never would she allow those around her to speak of her condition as one deserving of commiseration. Her sister finally remarks, "The dark and silent chamber seemed illumined by light from above, and cheered with songs of angels, and she would say, that, in her intervals from pain, no poetry could express, nor imagination conceive, the visions of blessedness that flitted across her fancy, and made her waking hours more delightful than those even that were given to temporary repose."

At times her spirit would appear to be already half etherealized. Her mind would seem to be fraught with deep, and holy, and incommunicable thoughts, and she would entreat to be left perfectly alone, in stillness and darkness, to commune with her own heart, and reflect on the merits of her Saviour. She continually spoke of the unutterable comfort which she derived from dwelling on the contemplation of the atonement, and stated that this alone was her

rod and staff when all earthly supports were failing.

In the heaviest affliction, she desired the assurance to be given to one of her friends that the tenderness and affectionateness of the Redeemer's character, which they had contemplated together, was a source, not merely of reliance, but of positive happiness-to her,

"The sweetness of her couch."

The powers of memory, for which Mrs. Hemans had already been so remarkable, shone forth with increased brightness, while her outward frame was so visibly decaying. She would lie for hours without speaking or moving, repeating to herself whole chapters of the Bible, and page after page of Milton and Woodsworth.

The conviction of the inestimable value of affliction, as the discipline of Heaven, was ever present to her mind, mingled with the deepest humility, the most entire resignation, an equal readiness to live or die, a saying with the whole heart, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word."

"as if

"I feel," she would say, hovering between heaven and earth," and she seemed so raised towards the sky, that all worldly things were obscured and diminished to. her view, while the ineffable glories of eternity dawned upon it more and more brightly.

When her spirit was nearly gone, she said to her darling Charles, and her faithful Sister Anna, that she felt all at peace within her bosom. Her calmness continued unbroken, til, at nine o'clock, on the evening of Saturday, May 16, 1835, her spirit passed away, without pain or the endurance of a struggle, and the

THE Annual Meeting of the Wesleyan Missionaries belonging to this District, commenced on Thursday morning, May 26, in the School Room, connected with the Germain Street Chapel, in this City. After singing and prayer by the Brethren Bamford and Busby, the names were called, and after another year of toil and temptation, all, 25 in number, were found ready to answer, in order, to the call. The Secretary and Sub-Secretary having been again re-elected, the meeting, under the direction of the Chairman, proceeded with business in the ordinary routine.

The reports of the religious state of the Societies were very encouraging, affording most satisfactory evidence that God is still with us. There is a net aggregate increase of 374 members, besides 326 still remaining on trial. The number reported as members of Society is 3743; and add to this the number, 326, who are on trial, and we have a total amounting to more than 4000 persons, who profess to walk in the observance of our rules, within the limits of this District. The year which closed May, 1841, was one of such unprecedented spiritual prosperity and rapid increase in many Societies, that there was some apprehension

that the reports of the then future, but now past year, would require a reversed comparative order of substraction, shewing a decrease in number of members; but such fears are now seen to have been vain.

The accounts of receipts and expenditures from the several Circuits shewed a large excess of deficiencies beyond the amount for which the Chairman is authorised to draw upon the funds of the Parent Missionary Society. How to meet this excess was a matter of serious and difficult consideration. The only way which could be discovered to meet the difficulty was, that the Preachers, in full connexion, should assume for the time being the debt of the District, or rather of the Circuits of the District. This was to many of the Preachers an expedient distressing and embarrassing; as they are allowed by connexional usage nothing more than enough to render themselves and families respectable and comfortable in the sphere in which they are required to move, such an assumption as they were obliged to make was neither easy nor pleasant. It is not only desirable, but absolutely necessary, that efforts, inost determined and efficient, should be made on the Circuits to save from a loss to which

the Preachers are utterly unable to submit, and also to increase the regular income of the Circuits in the future.

The religious services connected with the meeting were unusually interesting.

A District Love Feast was held in the Germain street Chapel, on the af ternoon of Sabbath, the 29th May, and although our rule, relative to the admission of persons to Love Feasts, was most rigidly enforced, the house was filled; and it is almost certain that so large a company of true believers in

the Lord Jesus Christ was never before convened in this Province. The assembled multitude scemed of one heart and mind; the hours passed most delightfully away; and all felt when the moment to retire, in preparation for the more public exercises of the evening, ready to exclaim,

"And if our fellowship below

In Jesus be so sweet,

What heights of rapture shall we know
When round his throne we meet!"

On Monday evening, the 30th, a most interesting Ordination Service was held in the Centenary Chapel, St. George's street. Although the night was exceedingly unfavorable, being very stormy, yet the very large Chapel was crowded to excess. The young Brethren S. McMasters, S. D. Rice, and H. Pickard, candidates for ordination, were requested to narrate their conversion to God and their call to the ministry, and also to give a brief account of their doctrinal views-with which request they complied in manner which evidently very deeplyin

terested the crowded audience.

a

After

this the Chairman, aided by the senior Brethren of the District-men who have long given demonstrative evidence that they are in the true Apostolical succession-went through with the appointed solemn service and ceremonies, formally, in the name of the Wesleyan Missionary Committee and British Conference, authorising the young men to attend to all the duties of Wesleyan Missionaries. An admirably appropriate charge was given by the Rev. S. Busby, and a very interesting address delivered to the congregation by the Rev. S. Bamford. All the exercises of the evening tended to fix and render deep the impression that the work to which these

men

were, by Divine Providence, called to devote their lives, and for which they were now by the Church fully and duly commissioned, was one of great dignity and vast importance.

On Tuesday evening, there was the annual Missionary meeting of the Auxiliary Society for this District, in the Germain street Chapel, and by adjournment, on Wednesday evening in the Centenary Chapel. The Chair was occupied by the Chairman of the District. The congregations were large, respectable, and attentive; and evidently much interested in the animating addresses of the different speakers. Fears were expressed by some that owing to the pressure of the times, the amount raised by this Auxiliary would be found to be less than that of the preceding year; and these have since been ascertained to be but too well founded; for although the Missionary subscriptions on a few of the Circuits have not only been kept up to the former amount, but even made to exceed, yet the total amount, as will be seen by the forthcoming Report, is considerably less than that of the former year. This is a matter to be much regretted; butwe believe that the zeal of the friends of Missions in this District is not, and will not be suffered to abate; and we hope that God, in his good providence, will enable them to continue and again increase the sum of their contributions to this good