crimson, gorgeous gold, a few pulsations of quivering light, and it is all gone :—we are such stuff as dreams are made of......

But the application! Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. This is one application. Let us sentimentalize and be sad in this fleeting world, and talk of the instability of human greatness, and the transitoriness of human affection. Those are the only two applications the world knows. They shut out the recollection and are merry; or they dwell on it and are sad. Christian brethren, dwell on it and be happy. This world is not yours; thank God it is not. It is dropping away from you like worn-out autumn leaves; but, beneath it, hidden in it, there is another world, lying as the flower lies in the bud. That is your world, which must burst forth at last into eternal luxuriance. All you stand on, see, and love, is but the husk of something better. Things are passing; our friends are dropping off from us; strength is giving away; our relish for earth is going, and the world no longer wears to our hearts the radiance that once it wore. We have the same sky above us, and the same scenes around us; but the freshness that our hearts extracted from everything in boyhood, and the glory that seemed to rest once on earth and life, has faded away for ever. Sad and gloomy truths to the man who is going down to the grave with his work undone! Not sad to the Christian; but rousing, exciting, invigorating. If it be the eleventh hour, we have no time for folding of the hands; we will work the faster. Through the changefulness of life; through the solemn tolling of the bell of time, which tells us that another and another and another are gone before us; through the noiseless rush of a world which is going down with gigantic footsteps into nothingness, let not the Christian slack his hand from work; for he that doeth the will of God may defy hell itself to quench his immortality.-Robertson's Sermons.

MEMOIR OF MRS. COURTICE.

THE highest authority declares that "the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." They teach us how to be good, how to be useful. The influence of their example can never be wholly lost. A practical and life-long exhibition of the beauty of goodness and usefulness cannot be altogether in vain. Many, very many, will have reason to bless God for ever that Mrs. Courtice ever lived. She was a fine specimen of a Christian, entirely devoted to Christ. Her prayers were earnest, her motives were pure, her labours were abundant, her reward is glorious. The story of her life, briefly and simply told, we may reasonably hope will be a blessing to some readers.

Mrs. ANN COURTICE, whose maiden name was Trebilcock, was born at Trevanson, in the parish of St. Breock, Cornwall, Sep. 13th, 1794. When very young, through the Holy Spirit working upon her heart, she had serious impressions, and many good desires, which, doubtless, in favourable circumstances, would have ripened into early piety, and decision for Christ. At that time, there were no Sabbath schools in the neighbourhood, and after attending the Established Church in the morning, it was the common practice to spend the greater part of the day afterwards in idleness and sin. It is not therefore surprising that as she grew up Mrs. Courtice took great delight in cardplaying and other worldly amusements. Affliction led her to consider her ways; she would often weep, and sometimes attempt to pray; but she knew not how to come to Christ, and there was no one to teach her. When eighteen years of age she had deeper religious impressions, and would frequently, when alone, fall on her knees, and cry to God to have mercy on her. But the way of salvation was not yet made plain to her mind. After much deliberation, from a fear she might eat and drink unworthily, she decided on receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at the parish church, and generally attended the Methodist meeting in the evening.

After an acquaintance of about two years, she was married to her first husband, Mr. JOHN BLAKE, in April, 1814, and though both unconverted, they acknowledged God in their newly-formed household by erecting an altar to his worship, using a form of prayer morning and evening. The Wesleyan Methodists sought permission to hold a prayer-meeting in their house. They did not consent at first, but that caused Mrs. Blake much pain of mind, and when the request was repeated, permission was readily given. This was in November, 1815. Mr. Blake soon found peace with God, and joined the Society. In the summer of 1818 the Bible Christians first preached at Wadebridge, and PATIENCE BICKLE was the preacher. A fortnight afterwards, ELIZABETH DART and CATHERINE REED came, and Mr. and Mrs. Blake invited them to their house. Their spiritual conversation, and their earnest prayers, were rendered a great blessing unto their kind friends. Mrs. Blake was more deeply convinced of sin, a week or two later, under a sermon preached by Mr. W. MASON, but, though her mind became more and more enlightened, and she felt the terrors of a guilty conscience, it was some time before she could venture her all upon Christ. She was not willing to be saved in God's way; but at length, to use the strong expression of the Apostle, she was shut up unto the faith "of Christ. Her agony of soul was becoming too great to be borne, and her earnest cry was, "Lord, save, or I perish." She came to the determination one night at the family altar not to rise from her knees till she had obtained the

power to believe on Christ for salvation. She had not been praying long, before the power from on high descended into her soul, and she exclaimed, “I can believe, I do believe; glory be to God!" That moment, "her chains fell off,” "her heart was free," never to be brought into bondage again. She and her husband rejoiced for some time together, and then two of their neighbours were called in to share their joy, and glorify God on her behalf. She was made indeed a new creature in Christ Jesus. It was John Bunyan's experience over again. The sun seemed to shine more brightly, the birds to sing more sweetly, and the flowers to bloom with a richer beauty. When a man is brought into harmony with his Maker, the outward aspect of everything is changed. This blessed transformation of soul by the Spirit of God took place in the end of February or the beginning of March, 1819.

The next Sunday was anticipated with much pleasure, and in the monthly experience meeting Mrs. Blake was constrained to speak of the love of Christ to her soul, and while doing so she was filled with "joy unspeakable, and full of glory." Heaven was begun below. She drank already of the river the streams whereof make glad the city of our God. At that period she was almost always praising God. She also made the Bible her daily study, her constant companion, and resolved, in the strength of grace, that it should be the rule of her life. She now began to pray in the prayer-meetings; and in her Master's service, daily taking up her cross, she was greatly blessed, and made a blessing. She also felt it to be her duty to dress very plainly, according to Scripture precept, avoiding all useless ornamentation and expense. Her relatives at this time were all unconverted, and feeling much concern for their souls, she embraced every opportunity to converse with them on spiritual subjects, and continued to pray earnestly for them. Her eldest brother was soon converted, and then they united in prayer for the others. The Bible Christians were invited to preach in her father's house, and several of the family were religiously impressed, some of whom were induced to attend the first Quarterly meeting ever held in the neighbourhood. Her mother was in that meeting convinced of sin, and the Sunday following cried aloud for mercy, and after a severe struggle the Lord set her soul at perfect liberty, and soon afterwards other members of the family were saved.

There being no Bible Christian Society in the neighbourhood, when Mrs. Blake was converted she joined the Methodists. In July, 1819, a Bible Christian Society was formed in her father's house, and she generally remained to the class-meeting which was held after preaching. After giving the subject due consideration, and making it a matter of earnest prayer, Mr. and Mrs. Blake decided on meeting with

C

the Bible Christians in church fellowship, and considerable prosperity followed. Mrs. Blake was shortly afterwards appointed class-leader of the infant Society, and being taught of God she was able to teach others. She made delightful progress in the divine life, saw it to be her privilege to be cleansed form all sin, and her light shone brightly all around. It is no wonder that she could not suffer sin upon her neighbour, and that she "would rather die than sin against God."

The Sabbath was to her a "delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable," and she delighted "herself in the Lord." It had been her custom to sell milk and cream on that day, and when she refused to do so any more, many customers were much displeased, but firmness and gentleness at length prevailed. Her love and reverence for the Lord's day was one of the best features of her character, and it never diminished. Writing to her daughter in 1844, about a relative's intention to convert her house at Trevanson into a malt-house if he became possessed of it, she says,-"He never shall while I live. You know while we lived in it, we endeavoured to keep the Sabbath day holy, and can we bear to have men working in it on that holy day? I tremble at the thought. I could not sell it for such a purpose, for I believe it would be a sin against God to do so."

The Christmas Quarterly meeting was held in Mr. and Mrs. Blake's house. Mr. JAMES THORNE preached on the occasion, and a love-feast followed. A very powerful influence was realized, and the whole night was spent in praise and prayer. Many similar meetings were afterwards held in their house, and it became the birth-place of many precious souls. Very praiseworthy was their custom, and surely worthy of imitation, of inviting their neighbours to join them in family worship, many of whom were converted. They also had prayer twice-a-day with the children who came to her husband's school, several of whom she was called to visit in their last hours, and found them happy in a Saviour's love.

The secret of her great usefulness in life is revealed. I find from her papers that whenever she left her home to visit her friends or on business, she first entered into her closet, and sought Jehovah's blessing, prayed that she might be kept from sin, that she might lose no opportunity for doing good, and that she might lead many to Christ.

Her own belief was, and it is shared by those who knew her most intimately, that her special work, and it was one in which she felt great delight, was to visit the sick and dying; and many a poor, unhappy, guilty sinner was she privileged to direct to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Oh, blessed, blessed thought, that these visits to these humble and afflicted ones of Christ's flock, the Saviour reckons as done to himself, and cannot fail of their reward.

Mr. Blake's health had been declining for some time, and on the 1st of March, 1829, the Lord took him to Himself. In this severe trial, the Lord was her support. She happily proved that His grace was sufficient, and fully believed that He would, according to His promise, be a Husband to the widow, and a Father to the fatherless. But being left with six children, five sons and one daughter, she had many painful exercises of mind, and often before God she could only groan and weep. Trials of another kind also greatly perplexed and disheartened her.

Occasionally she had given an exhortation to the people (at that time most of the Lord's people were prophets), and her soul had been much blest while thus engaged; but now "constrained by Christ's love"

"To seek the wandering souls of men, "

her name and the name of an esteemed female friend, MISS GEACH, now MRS. H. REED, were put on the plan, and in the Lord's service they experienced great delight, and were instrumental in accomplishing much good. Tired and weary they often were, but very happy in God, and when returning from their appointments, they would frequently shout aloud the praises of the Lord.

In 1835 there was a blessed out-pouring of the Spirit of God, and among the fruits of the revival was her only daughter, ANN, now MRS. RYAN. The mother's heart was filled with joy unutterable.

The happy family circle was soon to be broken up. Her eldest son, RICHARD, left for London in 1836; her second son, JOHN, had done so a few months before; and in 1837, JOSIAH was apprenticed to a carpenter; but her greatest grief was that they were leaving home unconverted. Her love for her children, and her desire for their salvation, were most touching and beautiful.

In 1838 her mother died in holy triumph, and the bitterness of the separation was much assuaged by the hope that they should meet again where parting is unknown, and the husband filled the wife's place in the Church.

Somewhat carefully reviewing her life in 1839, she was filled with wonder and gratitude. The way in which the Lord had led her, her deliverances in times of danger and temptation, the support and comfort she had received in her numerous trials, the many instances in which God had blessed her feeble labours, inspired her with fresh resolution and courage, and she made a covenant with the Lord never to be forgotten; and her soul was much drawn out in prayer for the conversion of her children, and earnestly did she plead that promise, and as the sequel will show not in vain, "I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee.”