"She hath done what she could."-MARK xiv. 8.

MANCHESTER:

GEORGE HARRISON, 11 CROSS STREET.

MDCCCLXII.

PREFACE.

THE preparation of the following selection from the correspondence of our late dear friend, Lydia Ann Barclay, has been undertaken with an undoubting belief of its being a duty to hand forth to the present generation, and to posterity, these records of the exercises and labours of our departed friend and sister in the unchangeable truth.

The largest proportion of them has been supplied by her correspondents, who were friends to whom she was closely united in Christian fellowship, and who have willingly surrendered them for the benefit of others.

Whilst occupied in fulfilling the service devolving upon us, we have been favoured with a precious feeling of peace, and not unfrequently with the sweet incomes of our heavenly Father's love, melting our hearts, and causing the tribute of gratitude and praise to ascend before Him.

We have felt concerned to be faithful in the fulfilment of our trust, with a single eye to the glory of Him by whose grace our friend was what she was-desiring neither to withhold more than is meet, which tendeth to poverty, nor, by undue enlargement, to exceed the bounds of a wise discretion; and we earnestly hope that our readers may be prepared to receive that which is written in the love of the truth, to their own abiding instruction and deepening in Christ, the root of life.

We have, therefore, endeavoured, without compromise of the principles, doctrines, and testimonies professed by us, to select such of the letters of our departed friend as would render the whole a true delineation of her religious views and experience; and it is earnestly