with incessant diligence, she laboured till she died, could most forcibly tell the tale of her benevolent exertions. We add one more extract from the Diary, expressive of her feelings at this period. "November 9, 1811. How necessary is it that God should remind us of the dissolving nature of our earthly tabernacle! When pain and languor seize the body, then I practically feel the insufficiency of all the temporal good I enjoy to make me happy. I regard every memento of this sort as mercifully designed to wean my affections from the creature, and to make me feel that rest can only be found in heaven,-in God. "Since my marriage, I have certainly had a very large increase of temporal peace and happiness; but, that I not be exalted above measure, my heamay venly Father has mingled in this cup of sweets a few unsavoury ingredients. My health has been far less uninterrupted than before. 'Choice befits not our condition, "If the Lord but visit me with the light of his countenance, and make the season of indisposition a time for Divine communications, how cheerfully will I embrace all He appoints! I am sure he does all in love; and as I cannot let go the confidence I have that He is my Father, so, I believe that He will pitifully weigh whatever chastisements He sees fit to exercise me with." As her time of trial drew near, Mrs. Cooper discovered great cheerfulness, and several times expressed her confidence that God would be with her and support her. On the 16th of June, 1812, she became a mother, and there appeared at first no ground for apprehension as to her recovery. But in the evening after, dangerous symptoms manifested themselves, and she herself felt persuaded that her end was approaching; but it excited in her mind no alarm. On the 22d, by which time little hope remained, Mr. Cooper, after praying with her, said: "What a mercy it is, my love, that we have a God to look to in all circumstances.” "Yes," she replied, “and I have not far to go: He is very near to me. At another time, she said: "I am very happy; I have no fear." This she afterwards repeated, and then cited that beautiful stanza from Dr. Watts, "This life's a dream, an empty show; When shall I wake and find me there?" To her husband, on his re-entering the room, she said: "Glory be to God in the highest! I have experienced a glorious elevation of mind. It is all over." In this strain of triumphant hope and gratitude, she continued to express herself during the whole morning, dwelling on the promises of God, and attesting his faithfulness. Nearly the last words she uttered, were the following lines from Dr. Watts. "My flesh shall slumber in the ground, At length, about two o'clock in the afternoon of this day (June 22d), she expired, in the twenty-sixth year of her age. MRS. FRANCES WILSON. MRS. WILSON, the lady of William Rae Wilson, Esq. of Kelvinbank, Lanark, was daughter of J. Phillips, Esq., and was born in the year 1785. As a child, her manners were pleasing and gentle; and the sweetness of her disposition conciliated universal esteem. At the age of nineteen, her religious principles seem to have been fixed, and piety became henceforth the predominant sentiment of her soul. She now made a public profession of religion by joining the churches of Mr. Wardlaw in Glasgow, and Mr. Innes of Edinburgh, when she had occasion to be in these cities. This profession she evinced to be genuine by the sanctity of heart and life which she eminently displayed; and the elevation of mind and refinement of the affections thus produced in her, evinced a sublime regeneration, which the Gospel can alone accomplish. Impressed with the infinite importance of Divine truth, she ascertained its evidence by a careful and judicious examination, and was thereby convinced of its paramount claims and sacred authority. It was not long after such profession of Christianity, that it pleased God to try her faith and patience by severe and long-continued affliction. During this season, she so eminently exemplified the influence of Christian principles upon her temper and the whole tenor of her actions, that it is hoped some short account of her faith and patience may be useful to others. Such was her deep humility, that nothing would have been more revolting to her mind, than the idea that any thing should be submitted to the inspection of the world, after her death, in the way of panegyric upon her character. Of this sketch the object is far different. It is not to praise the dead, but to improve the living. It is to exhibit, in her history, the blessed effects of genuine Christianity, to show what an amiable temper it formed, what benevolence it inspired, and especially what support it imparted at that awful period when every other source of support must vanish for ever. It has often been justly observed, that there is no way in which we can form a better estimate of the leading features of a person's character and of his prevailing tone of sentiment, than by his private letters. It is when the feelings are thus poured with unsuspecting confidence into the bosom of friendship, that the true state of the mind most distinctly appears. We shall avail ourselves of this method of unfolding some of the most prominent features in the character of the amiable subject of this memoir. The first extracts we give from her correspondence, were written a few months after joining the church with which she was connected.-They are contained in a letter to a Christian friend, and give a very pleasing view of her frame of mind, soon after she made this public profession of Christianity. "We are again, my dear sister in the Lord, by Divine providence, separated in body; but I trust we are joined in heart, and hope to meet again. When we are apart, it is comfortable that we are privileged to converse with each other upon paper. Happy invention! May we do it in faithfulness to each other, and in simplicity! And oh, that the correspondence now begun, may tend to the glory of God, and our mutual edification! May we be helpmates to each other, while we journey in this wilderness, constantly keeping in view our arriving on that blessed shore, where the redeemed of the Lord shall unite in one song of praise to Him who sitteth on the throne for ever and ever, and who are represented in Scripture as a chosen generation. Let us remember, that, as believers, we ought to shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light and to what a glorious work are we thus called! Oh, to be ever found walking in that path in which we should go; to be leading a life of devotedness to the service of the Most High; and praying for the influence of the Spirit, who alone can guide us into all truth! Let us press on to know the Lord, rejoicing in his willingness to give to all who ask in the name of Jesus, even of that Saviour who was made a little lower than the angels, that we, through HIM, might have everlasting life. "When the recollection of the long-suffering and goodness of God towards such a guilty, polluted worm as I am, and the fulness that is in Jesus, are by the Holy Ghost presented to my view, Divine things, as it were, crowd into my mind. I am ready to cry out and say, Is there any suffering to which I can be called in life, to which I would not willingly and cheerfully submit? O! the love of God which passeth all knowledge! and that we may ever be able to say, Not my will, not my will, Lord, but thine be done. Numerous are the blessings bestowed upon me, and there is no room for murmuring on my part; but I wish I had a heart full of gratitude to God, who is the giver of every good. May we ever be satisfied that He doeth all things well, and commit ourselves to Him, who is alone able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. "I trust that the trial experiences at present, will be much sanctified to her, and that she is enabled to submit to the will of the Lord with a becoming resignation and Christian fortitude. Whilst we tabernacle here below, we must have tribulation. This is the believer's night; but let us rejoice in the prospect of an eternal day; and then we shall see it was good for us that we were afflicted. How trivial are my afflictions, when I look around |