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THE AGED GIPSY.

"I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and of supplications."-ZECH. xii. 10.

"Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and `concerning the work of my hands command ye me."

ISAIAH xlv. 11.

"And I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing."-EZE. xxxiv. 26.

FROM the striking and remarkable connexion between the eventful life of the Aged Gipsy, and the present encouraging circumstances respecting her hitherto neglected, wandering relatives, it has been particularly urged, from different quarters, by the friends of the Gipsy cause, that if a short sketch were published, it is likely to be attended with considerable advantage, by awakening more general attention and interest on their behalf.

On this ground we have been induced to accede to the request; though sensibly alive to the obvious objections against writing any account of a living character. We have endeavoured to remove the opposing difficulties, or, more properly speaking, to lessen them, by adopting the following course :-On consideration, we judged that it might be attended with less personal risk to the individual, instead of leaving her to discover it incidentally, to state to her simply that such a sketch has been made, and the reasons for so doing. Humility and tenderness of conscience are the distinguishing features of her Christian character; and we have

had many proofs that her integrity may be fully confided in. We have therefore confidently received her pledge, “that she never will read the little publication, nor suffer any one to read it to her, nor even to name it in her presence." We trust also that we are not without scriptural authority on our side, (when doing what on ordinary occasions would be highly inexpedient;) for we read not only of the faith, and love, and good works, but the names of a Lydia, Dorcas, (Acts ix. 36,) Cornelius, (Acts xvi. 14,) Phoebe, Priscilla, (Rom. xvi. 1, 3,) and Aquila, and all living characters. This was in the early days of the church, and we have reason to hope, that the Spirit of God is now laying the foundation of the first church among the outcast Gipsies.

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