"See a poor finner, dearest Lord,” &c. "Ere long that happy day will come, O then I'll look and look again." A few days before her departure, the repeated as much as he could of the fong, from Watts's Divine Songs for Children, called A Summer Evening, which ends thus, "And gives a fure hope at the end of his days Of rifing in brighter array." On the Saturday preceding her diffolution, the latter part of the 9th chap. of Mr. Romaine's Triumph of Faith, being read to her, the faid, "My dear, that has been long the language of my heart." In the night fhe talked cheerfully to a perfon fitting up with her, and faid, "I fhall foon go to meet the bridegroom!" Sunday afternoon, was heard to fay "The Lord is my shepherd, I fhall not want." Early Monday morning, being afked if Chrift was precious and her mind comfortable, fhe answered "Yes." A few minutes before 8 o'clock, having afked the nurfe to turn her in the bed, fhe fhut her eyes and took her flight, without a grean. Highgate. E. PORTER. ****** who FREE-GRACE DISPLAYED IN THE CONVERSION AND HAPPY DEATH OF A NOTED HARLOT. MARY ******, was the daughter of David ***** ****, of **** died at the age of 36, leaving four children and a wife near lying in, Mary then was about feven years of age, and from that time, her mother, with fome athittance from the parifh, provided for herfelf and children, by nurfing and washing, till he was 15; at that early age he was feduced, and from that time til fhe was 24, her mother as well as herfelf, lived on the wages of her iniquity. Indeed, the was not like harlots in common, for the avoided drinking, wearing, and lewd difcourfe. Her ftature was genteel, and her addrefs enchanting, fo that her visitors were mostly fuch as could pay for admittance into her company; but two years affliction reduced both her fulf and her mother to great firaits. After felling her fine clothes, &c. they had lived very low. At the beginning of her linefs, fome like herfelf ufed to call and look at her; but they foon became tired of beholding fuch a peacle as he then was, and it may juitly be faid, the was shut out from fociety, till within about a month of her deceate. Mrs. then hearing of her cafe, felt an earnest defire to make her a vifit, and not hiking to go alone, requelled Mrs. to go with her. They went on Friday, 21ft June, 1799, and were agreeably furprised to find the bed, and what few things were in the chamber, fo c ean; and more fo, that one of her late call fhould appear fo meek, modett, intelligent, and free from the looks of a proftitute. She did not, however, hide from them what he had been; but frankly acknowledged that he had went as far in her wicked courfe as her conititution would admit; and faid, the fuppofed the should not have altered her mode of living, had the not been afflicted, although her bodily complaints were the confequence of her fin, and the was certain the had brought the affliction fhe was under upon herself. The following converfation then took place: How long have you been confined? 66 confined?" Two years." What have been your thoughts under your confinement? "I often think my fufferings are fent as a punishment for my past wicked life; but I hope I have repented of it, and am now a penitent." Why do you think fo?"I am a poor ignorant creature, cannot read, never had any one to inftruct me, nor have I ever been at church, or at any place of public worship, fince I was fifteen." Have you ever prayed during your illnefs? "As well as I could." What have you prayed for?" That God would forgive my fins, and relieve me from my troubles, which are very great, but not greater than I deferve." Has no one ever read the fcriptures to you? We have no bible." But you could have borrowed one. "I did once fend to a neighbour's for one, but fhe font word she was too busy to look for it." Would you like to have the bible read to you, and be instructed from it?" Yes, that is what I have wished for a long time, and frequently have prayed, during the lait year, that God would fend fomebody to teach me; but my character has been fo vile, that I have had but little hope that I fhould be fo favoured." Can you think we came to fee you with any other motive?" No; and I am overcome, that you should vifit fuch a one as me." Would you like to be dealt plainly with? "Yes." Then we fear, from what you have faid, you have not yet had true repentance; and we think it was in mercy to you God did not answer your prayers, to be taken from your troubles. "I have thought fometimes I was not right, the terrors of my mind have been fo great. A brief statement of true repentance, and God's way of saving finners, was then fet before her, to which the liftened with great attention; and when prayer was offered in her behalf, fhe appeared to join therein with great devotion. The next day, a pious woman was fent with fome neceffaries fhe was deftitute of; to whom the faid, "It must be God that put it into the minds of to vifit me in my extremity. Their regard to my bodily wants, is a great kindness which I could never have expected; but the profpect of their further inftruction is a greater." She hoped they would foon come again, for that purpofe; for what they had faid greatly affected her mind, as she had never heard of fuch things before. Monday 24th, the above two perfons made her a fecond visit, and her answers to their enquiries, as well as her looks, proved the had attended to their former difcourfe; and before they left her, the requested their prayers, that he might not be deceived, but be made to know the worst of herself. On Wednesday 26th, Mrs. - "" one of the perfons who firft vifited her, requesting the writer of this to accompany her, they went together; and it appearing to them that God had prepared her heart to receive inftruction, and that he was really in an awakened ftate, the nature of converfion was the subject of difcourfe; and we had reafon to hope that it was not a loft vifit. Afking what we fhould pray for, the replied, that may be more affected with my fins, and have them pardoned by the death of Chrift; alfo, that my life may be spared if it is the Lord's will." It was faid, But you have been withing for death two years." She anfwered, Yes, fo I have, and had God taken me away, according to my with, I believe I fhould have been in a woeful flate; but I defire to live now, to evidence that I am not what I once was; and that I may have an opportunity of warning fone, I know of, that continue as I was." Tuesday, July 2d. The effects of converting grace were now the fubject of difcourfe; to which fhe was all attention, and faid, "I do feel myfelf greatly different fince that firf vifit, which I hope never to forget. Indeed, Indeed, I have at times fince, especially in the night feafon, had great diftrefs of mind, and horrors of confcience; but I feel a loathing to what I once loved and delighted in; and I admire the goodnets of God, that I was not taken away in my fins. On Saturday 6th, upon being asked the state of her mind, the replied, "This has been race week, and the races have brought to my recollection many of my fins which I had forgot; I never went but once to a race; but the fealon ufed to be a market to me in my trade of fin, and had I not been afflicted, I dare say, should have spent this week in the fame manner as formerly I did. I never thought of ipending a race week in fuch a way as this has been fpent; but I never knew wherein happineis confifted before." She faid alio, he hoped the valued the bible that had heen fent her, as the belt prefent that was ever made her; as from what her nephew (a boy about 11 years of age) had already read to her, the found herself to be a condemned iniferable finner; yet was kept from despair, from fuch words as thefe," Chrift came into the world, not to condemn, but to fave," and, "when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both." Monday 8th. She now appeared to be growing faft in the knowledge of herfelf and Jefus Chrift. Saturday 13th, the difcourfed about in, its deferts, and how it may be pardoned, as one that had indeed found mercy. Thursday 18th, her body was evidently worke; but her mind appeared calm, ferene, and fpiritual. She feemed overwhelmed with a fenfe of pardoning mercy, exercited on fuch a wretch as he had been, and faid, her meditations the pait night had been fuch as fhe could not relate; but they were followed with that calmnefs fhe now enjoyed. Guilt on her confcience, which before was like a heavy burden, appeared to her to be removed, and the fear of death feemed to be taken away, adding, "O what a mercy; how greatly indebted muft I be to that free-grace you and my other new friends have spoke to me of, if I fhould be faved at lait." Friday 19th. Mrs was with her from 10 to 12 in the forenoon; at her entering the chamber, fhe put forth her hand, and faid, "Oh! how glad I am to see you again; I am certainly near my end; but I fee more and more into thofe things you spoke of at your first vifit. That wifit I shall never forget, and I want words to exprefs my gratitude to you, and the love I feel to that Jefus, who died for inuers. I now truit he died for me, one of the vileft; but I hope foon to fee him." She then went on in a fweet drain for a confiderable time. Her mother coming to the bed-fide; the faid to her, "I entreated you last night to promife me, and I do entreat you to promile again, that, after my deceale, you go where you may hear thofe things taught that now fo unfpeakably lapport ine. I would not have you defpair; but pray that you may obtain mercy, as I have done, though fuch a wretch as deferved no mercy." After this, Mrs. afked if he could bear her to read a few lines; fhe replied, "I can, and I thould be glad you would." No. 66, of Songs in the Night, was then read, crery line of which the feemed greatly to relifh, the defined it might be read again, and faid, "Bieffed be God, thefe are now exactly my views, though fo lately quite unacquainted with this glorious method of falvation." Se then paufed, and after a fhort space, faid, "But On! my fins; Oh! that I had known the things I now know, before! Oh! that I had kno-n them before I entered upon my wicked courie! But forely I am renewed, for I think I now know what communion with God is." Saturday evening, 20th. Having been exercited with extreme pains the tall night and this day, the appeared like a corpie, could but just be heard when the fpoke, and it was with difficulty fhe uttered that she felt more of VOL. V.I. C the the evil of fir, and the precioufuefs of Chrift. It was faid to her, after one of her violent pains was abated, "Thefe pains are very trying." She anfwered as well as the could, "Yes; but I have not one too many;" (this was evidently the language of her heart, as under all her extremity of pain the was never heard to utter a tepining word, neither was there dif covered in her the leaft impatience). “And what are my pains, when compared with what my bible fays Chr it endured for finners! What did he fuffer when he fweat, as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground!" At leaving her this evening, her looks befpoke unfeigned gratitude. Sunday 21ft. Her great pains continued, but her mind feemed all compolure, and though he was able to speak but little throughout the day, her geftures difcovered that he was in a praying frame. Monday 22d. She was visibly dying all day, but appeared quite calm and very devout-preffing the hand of Mrs. At parting, the faid, in broken words, "I love you, I love all of you;" but, fpeech failing, he could get no further, the then lifted up her eyes and one hand, upon which Mrs. faid, "You love Jefus better." This her countenance befpokt-was what the would have laid, and the at length ftammered in reply, "Yes."-Afterwards, he was underfood to lay, "Oh! how I with, that, as this houfe has been a fcene of wickedness, it may, after my deceafe, be a house of prayer.' In the evening, being paft fpeaking, the beckoned her nephew to come near. She took hold of his hand, and with uplifted eyes, it is fuppofed, committed him to God. About five the next morning, her pains cealed, and within twenty minutes after, her fpirit took its flight into the eternal world, being quite fenfible and devout to the laft. May not this relation be an encouragement to thofe Benevolent Societies, lately established, for vifiting, relieving, and inftructing the afflicted, who are poer and irreligious? Newport Pagnell. MARY TURNER, A CHILD. A. Z. IT is with peculiar fatisfaction I inform you of the happy death of Mary Turner, eleven years of age, and one of the Kent street Sunday-school children. This child was taken ill on Thurfday, the 22d of Auguft, 17997 of an inflammation in her bowels. On the Friday night following, the was heard to pray earnestly for mercy. Her father, on hearing her, arofe and asked her what the meant, or who it was the afked to forgive her?" It is God, I afk forgiveness of,” replied little Mary. On being asked if the thought she was a finner, the aufwered, "yes, father, and I want God to forgive me, and have mercy on me." Her father then informed her of falvation by Chrift; he told her that he was the friend of finners, and defined her to pray to him. "Ah! but will he fave me?" he replied, with evident agony of foul. All the next day fhe continued in prayer to Jefus Chrift for mercy. After praying herself, the requested her father to go to prayer with her, and when he had concluded, fe fecmed much furprised that he had done fo foon, and faid, did you think that Jelus did for me?" If you have a defire to be faved from fin, as well as from hol, there is reason to bitve Jefus did die for you, faid her father. Then the answered, "it is well indeed,” and foun after fung, "How glorious is our heavenly King Who reigns above the fly ! How shall a child prefume to fing -His dreadful Majesty !" Then Then calling her fifters together, the exhorted them to be dutiful to their parents. To one of them fl e particularly faid, "If you go on as you have done, where God is, you cannot be :" and added, "I know I have been undutiful to my dear parents myself, but now I am forry for it. May God forgive me, and have mercy on me." Her father and mother fhe begged not to grieve on her account. After this the expreffe great thankfulness for the Sunday fchool; and particularly to the good gentleman and lady, as the expreffed it, that picked her up in the ftreet, and brought her to the Sunday fchool. She then thanked all the gentlemen of the school, faying, they were good gentlemen; they had been very good to her; and added, "God blefs them, and have mercy on them." Then turning to her brothers and fifters, the faid, I befeech you, by no means neglect the Sunday school, for I have found benefit there, and fo may you. After this the requested her father to write a note to her matter at the Sunday fchool, in the morning; and "let him know that I am fick ; for I know he will come and fee me.' Soon after this, fhe fungs "To God I cry'd when troubles rose, He heard me, and fubdu'd my foes." Here the ftopped, and faid, " He heard me; will he hear me? yes, he will, and answer me too." Then the fung, "Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by thine help I'm come : And I hope by thy good pleasure, not you, I want After this he called, "Father, father, OI want you;" her father went to her, and asked her what he wanted; fhe faid, " my father which is in Heaven.” Again he cried, " Mafter, master, O I want you;" her father afked her which of them; the anfwered, " not take me to him, for he is in Heaven; Jefus is my mafter." After this her pains began to increase. you can her pains fubfided, the In the afternoon fhe and faid, "I have no Monday 26th, I vifited The next day, Sunday 25th, fhe faid little; but as was found praying to the Lord Jefus to help her. fung very loudly, "Hallelujah, praite the Lord;" defire to live here, for this is a wicked world." her, and afked her if the knew me; with a fmile on her countenance the anfwered, "yes," and mentioned my name. The enemy of fouls had this day buffeted her much; I asked her what the thought of Jefus Chrift as a Saviour; the faid, "I believe him to be the Saviour of finners." And have you reafon to believe Jefus died for you? here the flopped for fome time, and faid, "I h pe." I then began to interrogate her refpecting her "" Dear hope; but her pains returned with fuch violence, that the cried out, Lord Jefus, help me;" and her groans were truly affecting. As I was fpeaking to her mother of the doctor, fhe cried out, "O my heavenly doЯtor." I asked her what doctor fhe meant; the anfwered, "The Lord Jefus." I then took an occation to speak to her of the compaffion and love of Jefus to finners; but before I had concluded, he was thrown into a convulfion, and continued in it during the time Ittaid. The next morning I found her in great pain; crying, Lord Jefus help me. I told her that Jefus would help her if the did but put her truit in him. "I hope," fold the, "that Jefus died for me." It appeared this morning very 4 C 2 evident, |
