gested in the letter were immediately made, and an answer sent by return of post; but in less than two hours after the letter had left Romsey, the question had ceased to be interesting to the parties concerned. God had summoned the young man to his tribunal, without permitting him to enter into the trials and temptations of business.

This is one instance, among many, of the uncertainty that attends all the plans we form, and the prospects we indulge, concerning the future. And, although Mr. Gilbert was not improperly anxious about business, yet his sudden death, when in prospect of a situation for life, and while engaged in a correspondence upon the subject, may furnish an instructive lesson to those whose minds are so set upon the world as to neglect the more important interests of the soul. Were he permitted to address them, his language would be selected from the Epistle of James; and may God lead all such persons seriously to consider it!-Go to now, ye that say, To-day, or to-morrow, we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow: for what is your life?

.

It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

MISS ELIZA GILBERT was born at Chatham on the twenty-fifth of November, 1790, and educated at Hertford, in a ladies' seminary, under the care of Miss Canning. From the time she left school until, with her sister, she undertook the establishment at Clover-street, she resided with her parents, and received from her father that pious counsel which, under the divine blessing, was calculated to lead her mind into the knowledge and love of God, and to prepare her for usefulness here, and for happiness hereafter.

Her father's solicitude for the spiritual, as well as the temporal prosperity of his children, is manifest in all his correspondence with them. Eliza was not insensible of this: she was accustomed to speak of him in terms of the highest veneration and affection; and so great was her confidence in his judgment, that she usually yielded an implicit assent to his advice.

9 James iv. 13, 14.

Mr. Gilbert's family were Baptists in sentiment, though united in Christian communion with the independent church under the pastoral care of the Rev. Joseph Slatterie, whose ministrations were highly and deservedly valued by them, and whose extensive usefulness at Chatham must ever be acknowledged by himself and congregation with lively gratitude to Him who, by the power of his Spirit, gives such effect to the preaching of Christ crucified.

Eliza Gilbert was decided in her opinion, but far removed from bigotry; rather, she was liberal and open to conviction. The writer has frequently been engaged with her upon the much contested subject of infant baptism. The argument was conducted with good temper, and ended as controversies upon that subject usually do-without either party obtaining any additional knowledge, or deriving any spiritual advantage to the soul.

At what period her mind was first impressed with the importance of religion, and what were the means which led to her conversion, is not ascertained; but frequent conversation with her

appears to warrant the conclusion, that the counsel of her father, under the blessing of God, was the means of gradually enlightening her mind, and leading her to the knowledge of the truth, as it is in Jesus.

About the month of March, 1807, at the age of sixteen years and a half, she made a public profession of her faith in Christ, and was baptized by immersion, by the Rev. J, Knott, Pastor of the Baptist Church, at Chatham; and, after her baptism, united in church-fellowship under Mr. Slatterie, with whom she continued until the day of her death.

Miss Gilbert was a young person of excellent understanding: she possessed a quick apprehension, a good imagination, a solid judgment, and a memory susceptible and retentive. These were improved by a good education, by diligent study, and much reading; particularly during the last three years of her life, she had taken considerable pains to enrich her memory with select pieces from Milton, Young, Cowper, Henry Kirke White, and others, who have employed

the beauties of poetry to express the fervour of piety.

The extracts selected from her correspondence may be regarded as a specimen of her usual mode of writing to her friends; expressing her thoughts freely as they arose, without any appearance of study, and certainly without imagining that ever they would meet the public eye. The same remark will apply to any extracts that may be given from the letters of Mr. and Mrs. Mills. They are presented, that we may be enabled to form an estimate of moral character rather than of intellect.

i

The following are some of her earliest letters, and were addressed to a female friend at Sheer

ness:

"I am much obliged by your kind invitation; if nothing particular prevent, shall accept of it, and spend a few days with you in the Easter week.

"I have long promised myself the pleasure of visiting my much-beloved Jane, but have