especially the shortness and uncertainty of life, how fully realized !" Four years previous to his death, as appeared on opening his will, he had written, (1842,) on a paper which was appended to it, a prayer for a reunion with his family, among the spirits of the just made perfect. This theme was often in his thoughts: the bliss of a reunited family in heaven. In devotional reading, (and he loved this above all else that books afforded,) he would frequently select, and dwell upon, the subject of our recognition of each other, in the society of the blessed. It was a household. topic. His venerated mother loved to speak to him respecting it, when he was yet a child. As he advanced in years, and grew in grace, he acquired an ever-deepening interest in the persuasion, that the most sacred sympathies of the Christian family have in them the element of perpetuity. And while the believer devoutly meditates upon the spirits of his blessed dead, and fondly muses on the familiar features of their affection and their loveliness, "Hope still lifts her radiant finger, Pointing to the eternal home, "Hearts, from which 'twas death to sever, Eyes, this world can ne'er restore, There, as warm, as bright as ever, Shall meet us, and be lost no more." No consolation could be more soothing to the aged mother in her sorrow, than the full assurance which she had of her son's having actually joined the souls of saints with Christ, and being welcomed to the home of the redeemed, by those, it may be, with whom he could hold immediate converse, as his father, and his brother, and his sister, who entered before him on their reversion, and now, with him, "our coming wait, To share their holy, happy state." To attain this blessed consummation, and to induce her children and her children's children to use all the divinely instituted means of grace, that they might love and serve the Lord, and daily increase in His Holy Spirit more and more, until they come to His everlasting kingdom, she let her light shine before them, and was continually pointing out to them the way of life. In the spirit of true piety, she met, every morning and evening, with her household, at the family altar. The reading of a portion of Holy Scripture, according to the Table of Lessons appointed by the Church, and the use of some appropriate formularies of devotion, were the sacrifices they offered unto the Lord, morning and evening, day by day. And truly God was in the midst of them, by a prevailing spirituality, the shekinah of his presence. Her children, having all been "baptized into Christ" in early infancy, and signed with the sign of the cross, were faithfully taught, according to the exhortation addressed to godfathers and godmothers, all things “which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health," and were "virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life;" being "sufficiently instructed," were "brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him;" and were "not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified." It is an interesting fact, and sacred, household reminiscence, that she conducted the family devotions herself, on * her eightieth birth-day. "To her children," says onet of their number, "and to her family, it was a season of deep and touching interest. And as her voice ascended, in feeble and tremulous tones, to the mercy-seat on high, offering thanksgiving, and supplicating blessings upon us, we felt that it might be the last time on earth, when, in such circumstances, we should hear those sweet and affectionate tones at our family altar. We are told, that the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much; and, blessed be God, her prayers have been offered for us, not merely on one occasion, but during our whole lives. Oh, may they be mercifully answered!" Old age was, to her, the period for enjoying, with her family, the sweets of Christian experience, which she had long been hiving. She looked not to the world for her enjoyments; but the affectionate and spiritual resources which she had in her own mind, afforded her a ready and an unfailing resort. At that season of our temporal existence, when life's spring, and summer, and autumn, have, in turn, ceased to lead us abroad, by the allurement of their out-door pleasures, it is essential to our comfort, in the winter of old age, thus to have social, fireside joys within. Although, in general, less stimulating, these joys are, certainly, at least as rich in genuine emotion, as the most gladdening exhilaration of the animal spirits, at any other season of our being. And, with the happiest effect, they foster the most sacred sympathies of our nature, blending and consecrating home thoughts, home wishes, and home longings for reunion in a future state. Our venerated mother proved this. Her precepts and opinions, her habits, her familiar words, her very countenance and actions, while they teach us the way of everlasting life, conspire to increase our longings to enjoy, with her, its promised bliss. The traits of her truly admirable and engaging character, like the words in some emphatic text of Holy Writ, combine to express a sacred sentiment for our meditation. To a delineation of these traits the next chapter will be devoted. VI. HER CHARACTER. "Her light increased unto the perfect day; THE BAPTISTERY. "Seck to be good, but aim not to be great; LORD LYTTLETON. In childhood, in maturity of years, and in old age, her distinguishing traits of character were gentleness and meekness. To these were superadded, by the influence of divine grace, eminent spirituality. Her slender, erect figure, easy and quiet movements, sweet tones of voice, and, above all, benign and often heavenly expression of countenance, gave her, especially' when she drew near the close of life, a presence that was felt to be almost unearthly; "For holy angels seemed around to dwell, One of her near relatives, eminently fitted, both by nature and education, to appreciate her qualities of mind and |