unregenerate, she judged herself unfit both for communion with the church and for the happiness of heaven. Under these impressións her religious exercises were interesting, ardent and persevering. Her belief in the holy scriptures and in Jesus Christ, her repentance for sin, with abhorrence of it, and her resolutions to follow Christ seemed to be scriptural; but yet she could not be easily convinced that she had experienced such a reformation from sin to holiness, as was necessary to acceptance with God and final salvation.

The truth probably was, she had been early and imperceptibly led into the love and practice of religion, under the combined influence of a religious education, christian examples, and the divine spirit of truth and grace, and was renewed and sanctified before she was conscious of it. Hence she could not perceive the deep depravity of human nature, as many do, nor the deceitfulness of a heart practically corrupted, which she did not possess, nor the power of sin, the influence of which she had never felt. She had no prevailing wicked dispositions to overcome, no vicious practices to renounce, no new exercises of piety to commence, nor acts of benevolence to render, to which she had not been accustomed. To her, wisdom's ways had already become pleasant and vicious practices odious.

If any

thing was wanting to render her a real christian, it was something in principle of action or motive to duty. We say not that even in this point there was

an essential defect. We are in, clined to think that the call of public duties and privileges, when her mind and years had become mature, arrested her attention with more than usual forcethat she had early imbibed the opinion that none ought to approach the Lord's supper without clear evidence of regeneration-that she looked for such evidence as is professed and visible in the reformation of the habitual and long impenitent sinner-and not finding this in herself, hastily inferred that she was destitute of true religion, and in a state of condemnation. In the course of some few months her mind was enlightened on the doctrine of regeneration and the special ordinances of the gospel; a comfortable hope was inspired, tranquillity was restored, and she devoted herself to God with increased fervor and affection. Her mind being calm, and public duty more plain, she joinedR the congregational church in Charlestown, where she frequent. ly passed weeks and months with her relatives, and never afterwards manifested any painful doubts of her good estate, nor any coldness in the cause of religion.

At the age of thirty two, she was married to Mr. John Thoreau of Boston, and took the maternal charge of eight young children, whom she cordially adopted and ever treated as her own. She had herself one child only, and that lived but a few hours. Mr. Thoreau lost his health, moved to Concord, and there finished his course like a christian, piously committing his

children to the protection of their Father in heaven, and with great satisfaction, to the affectionate care of his afflicted wife.

The charge of so many young children, had been undertaken with much diffidence and with

earnest prayer for wisdom and grace. Being left to bear alone the weight of obligations and cares, she had recourse, the most humble and persevering, to the throne of grace, and trusted in the promises of God. She obtained grace to be faithful, and was one of the best of mothers. Her children were wont to speak of her as without fault. The filial affection and duteous behavior of the children, rewarded her solicitous attention and greatly lightened her cares. So entire and perfectly satisfactory was reciprocal affection, between parent and children, that they never felt, nor heard suggested without pain, the idea of motherin-law, and children-in-law.

the proper business of her station, and cheerful in social intercourse, but spent a large portion of her time in reading religious books, and in the exercises of devotion. This employment for years was often protracted to late hours at night, when she was free from the cares and interruptions of the world. In her diet she was rigidly temperate, and carefully refrained from unnecessary sleep. A friend suggested to her his fears, that she was drawing too hardly on her health and constitution. Her reply was, that she was in perfect health and found no inconvenience from her manner of life. The truth was, as she had expressed to some friends, that she felt her need of being diligent and earnest in her endearors to make religious improvement, and to be more holy and useful. Her state of mind, her religious desires and exertions are, perhaps, best described by what St. Paul says of himself, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I also am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." No person without particular acquaintance with her could justly estimate the earnestness with which she sought heavenly-mindedness and to be more and more holy in

Mrs. Thoreau continued, as usual, the practice of worship, with reading daily the holy scriptures, and adopted the reading of forms of prayer, either in person or by the older children. An example this, highly worthy of imitation. Though she was a woman of great diffidence, and had a very low opinion of herself, yet she never appeared to want courage in religious duty. Mrs. Thoreau was left in easy circumstances, and she used her means of living in the most prudent, charitable and religious manner. All her powers were devoted to God and duty, with out the least appearance of ostentation. She was active in

heart and life. Her walk with God was close, constant, humble, and cheerful. Like her blessed Lord and Master, whom she followed with profound reverence and ardent affection, she acknowledged God in all she did, enjoyed, and suffered. In times of rejoicing her altar was warm with incense of praise; in times of doubt and trouble she asked of God wisdom to direct, consolation to support, and grace to help. In one point she was particular, viz. in declining to read controversial publications on religious subjects, lest her mind should be perplexed more than edified, and the acquisition of holiness, which was with her a primary object, should be impeded rather than promoted. Her religion induced her to instil, as far as possible, the principles of religion into the minds of her children, and to "train them up in the way they should go."

Mrs. Thoreau excelled many christians in meekness, charity, and patient submission to the will of God. Meekness in her appeared to be the genuine fruit of the spirit of Christ, which she had largely imbibed, and not the effect of native diffidence, for her mind and passions were naturally susceptible, active and vigorous. She constantly exhibited a bright resemblance to Him who was most emphatically "meek and lowly in heart."

The various expressions of her charity proved it to be that without which we are nothing in religion. In alms-giving she was conscientious and liberal, and sought for proper objects with tendernesss and delicacy. God

had given her a benevolence and · largeness of heart, that far exceeded her ability. Candor was an amiable and conspicuous trait in her character. She loved and respected all christians who exhibited the disposition and the example of Christ. Of several clergymen, whom she knew to differ in opinion on some points in theology, she repeatedly said, she could hear them preach with equal satisfaction. She appeared to delight in visiting the chamber of sickness and the house of mourning, as well as the cottage of poverty. She was remarkable for her sympathy both with people in prosperity and in adversity. At once she seemed to enter into the feelings of her friends, and always had something pertinent to offer, both to chasten the excess of joy, and to comfort the afflicted, and encourage the desponding.

But the virtue which shone the brightest in the constellation that adorned her was patient submission to the will of God, and especially in her last, long, and distressing sickness. This sickness was a kind of rheumatism, that deprived her of the use of her limbs, and for nearly three years rendered her entirely helpless. At first the disorder was not attended with acute pain; but distress increased till it became extreme, and nature was exhausted. Her mind, however, was not in the least impaired, but rather brightened and strengthened. To be suddenly reduced in the midst of life, from perfect health, social enjoyments, delightful progress in practical piety, active benevolence, and

distinguished usefulness, to a state of debility, inaction, pain, and anguish, without the hope of recovery or speedy termination, was no ordinary trial. It was a furnace uncommonly heated. And this state she long endured with a patience and submission, a faith and hope, a calmness and, fortitude, rarely to be met with-such as exhibit in a high degree and an impressive manner the power and consolations both of christianity and the spirit and grace of God. Not a word of complaint or repining was uttered by her; and when ever the subject of her trials was mentioned, she would bring to view the goodness and mercy of God to her, which, she said, far exceeded her sufferings and her powers of thankfulness.

Until the last year of her life she took an interest in the ordinary affairs of her family, asking information and giving directions. The reason she assigned for this attention was, it appear ed to gratify her children and to keep a little out of their view her approaching dissolution, which they could not realize without extreme af affliction. In tenderness to them she did not express her own despair of recovery for more than two years.

It is but justice to mention, that Mrs. Thoreau possessed a happy faculty of self-command. She was indeed very sensible to causes of joy and grief, to kindness and injury, yet she was always apparently composed and never, perhaps, "spake unadvisedly with her lips." The nearer she approached the solemn hour of dying, the stronger was her faith

and the brighter were her future prospects. She pretended to no triumph of faith, but her hope was "as an anchor to her soul, both sure and stedfast," which diffused through her whole mind inexpressible peace and tranquillity, and to observing friends, seemed in a wonderful manner to bring heaven down to earth. Her hope was founded on the mercy of God through the mediation and atonement of Jesus Christ, and she was not only willing, but desirous to depart and to be with her Lord. On the last Sabbath in May, 1814, in the fifty first year of her age, she quietly fell asleep in full expectation of a glorious resurrection to life eternal. Thus lived and thus died one of the most excellent, belored and lamented of women.

It is natural to remark, that chrisanity exemplified in the extremes of prosperity and adversity, seldom fails to arrest attention, to encourage the hearts and excite the admiration of the virtuous; and it often com mands the approbation and respect of the vicious. Being exhibited in its own native simplicity and beauty, it must appear lovely, for its origin is heavenly and its fruit beneficent and useful. Christianity is frequently to be seen in a very engaging manner in persons placed

in retired conditions of life, whose peculiar trials call for the exercise of every christian grace and virtue, and give them favorable opportunities to manifest the power of godliness and the supports and consolations of religion. Sketches of the lives of such ehristians may be encourag