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one of the Emperors of Rome professed to be a christian himself. But many have strongly doubted whether he ever was one. However the christians now obtained liberty to erect places of worship, and meet in them.

It is a sad thing to have to tell, but it is true, that it was not long before many bad men pretended to be christians for the sake of riches and honours. In many parts of the world places of worship were erected, but for hundreds of years the services were more pagan than christian.

Our own country was visited by preachers of the Gospel at an early period, and for five hundred years at least there were christians in England who worshipped God in spirit and in truth, though they had few places of worship. This was before Pope Gregory sent Austin and his priests from Rome to bring popery. They came and drove the old christians away, who fled into Wales; but many of them were hunted down and put to death. For hundreds of years after this the papists persuaded kings and rich men to erect small buildings in towns and villages, and large and grand cathedrals in cities. But all this time there was almost no preaching of the gospel, no printed bibles, and very few schools; and yet amidst all this darkness there were not a few who walked in the little light they had, and longed for more.

At length the light came-the pure light of the Word of God. The result was that the papists were in turn

driven away. It was a long time, however, before there was full liberty for all English christians to worship God in the way which they believed to be their duty, and many were not allowed to build places of worship for themselves. Now, blessed be God! christians in all parts of our beloved Queen's wide dominions have not only full freedom to worship God, but to erect their houses of prayer and their schools where and how they please.

Foreigners always describe England as one great green garden; and in the later spring it presents this aspect. Another feature always attracts their attention—the "ivy-mantled towers" or pointed spires of thousands of ancient parish buildings rising over the gentle landscape; nor unobserved are those more modern and unpretending buildings which humble but zealous men have erected in which to tell, in their own simple way, the glad tidings of the great salvation.

Perhaps few parts of the earth present more lovely scenes than are to be witnessed on the return of every peaceful sabbath-day on this " island of the northern sea," including England, Wales, and Scotland; in the gathering of clean and tidy children, with their active and pious teachers, at the much-loved sabbath school; and then parents and children, all in their best array and order, wending their way to the house of prayer. Blessed the people whose God is the Lord! The lines are fallen to them in pleasant places; they have a goodly heritage.

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ELIZA.

HE uncle of this dear girl was a pious minister. In

writing a little memoir of her life and early death, he observed, that her parents, who had done their best to teach her the fear and love of God, sent Eliza when twelve years old to live with him. She was very shy, so that when he talked to her about religion all the answers he could get were tears, for she was very tender-hearted. When about fourteen she was taken very ill and suffered great pain, from which the doctor could only give her little relief. But she now became more willing to talk with her uncle and aunt and other friends who came to see her. Her uncle thus describes her life's last hours :When the doctor came on Wednesday, she entreated him to tell her how long he thought she might live. He said, 'Are you in earnest, my dear?' She answered, 'Indeed I am.' At that time there were appearances that a mortification was begun. He therefore told her he thought it possible she might hold out till eight in the evening, but did not expect she could survive midnight at farthest. On hearing him say so, low as she was, her eyes seemed to sparkle, and fixing them on him with an air of satisfaction, she said, 'O, that is good news indeed.' And she repeated it as such to a person who came soon after into the room, and said, with lively emotion of joy, The doctor tells me I shall stay here but a

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few hours more.'

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When Dr. B. asked Truly happy; and if

In the afternoon she noticed and counted the clock, I believe, every time it struck, and when it struck seven she said, 'Another hour, and then.' But it pleased the Lord to spare her to us another day. I was surprised on Thursday morning to find her not only alive, but in some respects better. The signs of mortification again disappeared. This was her last day, and it was a memorable day to us. her how she was, she answered, this be dying, it is a pleasant thing to die.' She said to me about ten o'clock, My dear uncle, I would not change conditions with any person upon earth! Oh, how gracious is the Lord to me! Oh, what a change is before me!' She was several times asked if she could wish to live, provided the Lord should restore her to perfect health; her answer was, 'Not for all the world,' and sometimes, not for a thousand worlds.' 'Do not weep for me, my dear aunt, but rather rejoice and praise on my account. I shall now have the advantage of dear Patty (for whom she had a very tender affection, and who had been long in a languishing state), for I shall go before her.' We asked her if she would choose a text for her own funeral sermon. She readily mentioned, 'Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.' That,' said she, 'has been my experience; my afflictions have been many, but not one too many, nor has the greatest of them been too great; I praise him for them all.' But after a pause she

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said, 'Stay, I think there is another text which may do better; let it be, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." That is my experience now.'

She spoke a great deal to an intimate friend, who was with her every day. Amongst other things, she said, 'See, how comfortable the Lord can make a dying bed! Do think you shall have such an assurance when you come to die?' Being answered, 'I hope so, my dear,' she replied, But do you earnestly and with all your heart pray to the Lord for it?

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If you seek him, you shall surely find him.' She then prayed affectionately and fervently for her friend, afterwards for her cousin, and then for another of our family who was present.

Towards seven o'clock, I was walking in the garden, and earnestly engaged in prayer for her, when a servant came to me and said, 'She is gone.' O Lord, how great is thy power! how great is thy goodness! A few days before, had it been possible, what would I not have given to procure her recovery! yet seldom in my life have I known a more heart-felt joy than when these words, She is gone, sounded in my ears. I ran up stairs, and our whole little family were soon around her bed. Though her aunt and another person were sitting with their eyes fixed upon her, she was gone, perhaps a few minutes, before they knew. She lay upon her left side, with her cheek gently reclining upon her hand, as if in a sweet sleep. And I thought there was a smile upon her coun

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