cern to pray for the conversion of the Mahometans, and daily entreated the Lord to send his Spirit amongst them, to open their blind eyes. Hence the example of a Mahometan who had come to Christ delighted him the more, and he regarded it as a pledge that his prayers were heard, and that they might also be more fully answered.

"He now commenced a regular course of instruction with me, and took all possible pains to render the truths of Christianity very sweet and lovely, Jesus very adorable, my corruption appear very deep, and eternal felicity very glorious to me. His words fell upon a prepared and susceptible soil; my heart was very desirous of hearing much of Jesus and heavenly things, and I often put questions to him, to which he returned me no answer, but said, 'You must not know everything. Keep that which you have.'

"I was baptized on Christmas-day, and received the name of Christiana Maria. However I did not find what I had expected. My heart was rather cold and unsusceptible; my attention was too much taken

up with the external part of the service, and my devotion more constrained, than free and animated. I soon perceived this, and sighed and prayed, as well as I was able. I continued to pray during the whole day, but without effect. The following day, however, all the blessings which I had so ardently desired came upon me in abundance. The peace of God filled my heart, and so much happiness took possession of me that I could not refrain from rejoicing aloud. The General said, 'Maria, take care, when heaven blushes rain succeeds. The case may soon be otherwise with you.' But the aged preacher said, 'Leave her to her joy, and do not disturb her in it. The children of the bride-chamber cannot fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them. Certainly it will not always continue thus; but there will be time enough in future to give way to sorrow.'

"The good man was in the right, and I often thought of him. He has long since rested in his grave, and near him the old general. The latter died, alas! in the spring, after my baptism, when the first cowslips un

G

folded themselves. His death was sudden, not like an oak, which gradually decays, but like a lofty pine, which is rapidly felled to the ground by the powerful strokes of the axe. He met death willingly. If we only suffer an hour from the tooth-ache,' said he, 'we are weary of life; and during the course of sixty-four years, much that is painful befalls the earthly pilgrim. I hope to make a good exchange. My Lord and Saviour has prepared a place for me. My human sins, my soldier's sins, and my general's sins are all forgiven me: I have found mercy.' Before his end, he caused the following verses to be read over to him:

'The goodly land I see,

With peace and plenty blest;
A land of glorious liberty

And endless rest.

There milk and honey flow,

And oil and wine abound,

And trees of life for ever grow,

With glory crown'd.

'There dwells the Lord our King,
The Lord our righteousness,

Triumphant o'er the world and sin,
The Prince of Peace!

On Zion's sacred height

His kingdom still maintains ;

And glorious with his saints in light,
For ever reigns.

'He by himself hath sworn,—

I on his oath depend,—

I shall, on eagles' wings upborne,

To heaven ascend.

I shall behold his face,

I shall his power adore,

And sing the wonders of his grace
For evermore.'

"He then said, when he saw us weeping, 'Weep not, children; it is more than a soldier has a right to expect, when permitted to die on his bed; and what is still bettera dying Christian is unwilling to exchange with any living king.

I am happy, rich, and blest,
Since I am of Christ possess'd.

Let me depart in peace!'

He then folded

his hands, closed his eyes, and fell asleep, like a child that will awake the next morning.

"After his death, his son, a captain in the Saxon service, obtained his dismission, in order to take charge of the paternal estate.

He was likewise a noble-minded and pious man, and assured me, the very first day, that I should continue with him and his sister. But before a year had elapsed, he came to me with the surprising offer that I should become his consort. I made many objections, and requested time for consideration. Through much persuasion on the part of himself and his sister, and feeling no inward liberty to refuse him, I at length suffered myself to be induced to consent to his wishes.

"We three now lived together as happy as children, and each one sought to be of assistance to the other in the way of life. Three years afterwards, my husband found himself obliged, by a variety of circumstances, to sell his estates in Silesia, and purchase a small manor in Saxony, in the neighbourhood of Budissin. We commenced our journey thither in good spirits. But the very first day, my husband was taken ill, so that we were obliged to travel slowly, and often to halt on the way. You may suppose how much I suffered on this journey, how many tears I shed in secret, and how many