the cause of Christ. Should you | ly expressed herself on this subbegin now, you would never re-ject to this effect-" That she gret it. I have enjoyed more true happiness, in one hour, in religion, than in my whole life, in all things else."

was a dependant creature, had been a great sinner, and very neglectful of God. That it would be just in God to banish her for Addressing a particular female ever from his presence. That friend, to whom she had expect- if he should, she could have noed to live a near neighbor-she thing to say; and that it was no said: "I must die and leave matter what became of her, if you. But you are only a step God was glorified." Yet such behind me; and it is no matter was her sense of the glory of the which goes first. I hope you divine character, and the fulness will assist in bringing up the there is in Christ, and such the child which I leave. You will conscious cleaving of her soul probably, continue a near neigh-to him, and her joy and peace in bor to him. Instruct him, with believing, that she " abounded yours, in the ways of early pie-in hope."

ty. Strive to live for God and Upon being asked whether his glory. I trust you will."—she had ever experienced doubts Then kissing her with her cold and fears relative to her state, and trembling lips, she said, "I since she first entertained a hope, hope we shall meet in heaven to she answered in the affirmative. be for ever with God."-With | And when questioned as to the another friend, living in a part means by which she had risen of the same house, she parted above them and regained her in the same manner-saying, hope and comfort in religion. "You have been a mother to me she said it was by prayer. And since we have lived together. she earnestly recommended it We have enjoyed many agreea- to all doubting Christians, to be ble hours together-but we shall much in prayer, as a most hap. enjoy no more in this world. I py means of removing their am going to leave you. Fare-doubts, by quickening their afwel! I hope we shall meet in fections and giving them peace another world, enjoying the bles- and joy in God. sings which are laid up in store for them who love God."

Being asked by one, whether, if it were submitted to her she would choose to live or die? She answered," to die."-The hope which she entertained of herself at this time, though strong even to assurance, appeared to be founded on the merits of Christ, and the free grace and faithfulness of God. She appeared to rejoice in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh, and to desire that God might be all in all in her salvation. She repeated

To her particular friends and connections, as well as to her husband, she expressed a strong desire that they would make known to her child, if he should live to years of understanding, her dying words and wishes res pecting him. Particularly her earnest desire, that he would make religion his business in early life, taking the bible for his guide through life. And if it were the will of God, and he should be qualified, that he would devote himself to the ministry of the gospel; and that he might

be a means, in God's hands, of bringing many souls to Christ.

engagedness in pursuing worldly happiness to the neglect of God and religion, and requested that they might be informed of her earnest desire that they would prepare for death. Her eldest brother, and two eldest sisters were present during part of this scene. With these she conversed in a very tender and affectionate manner remind

She repeatedly expressed a desire to see her parents once more before she died, if it were God's will. They had left her two days before; it being then supposed that she was better, and might recover-and they did not arrive again till after the affecting scene was closed. When speaking of them, she manifest-ing them of former trials, and ed a tender, filial concern on account of the affliction they would experience in her death-but expressed a desire and hope that they might be resigned willing to part with her, and ready to follow her at the call of God.

mercies which they had expe-
rienced at the hand of God, and
exhorting them to be devoted
to his service. "You see," said
she, "I am dying. You must
be willing to part with me. I am
willing to go, if it is God's will.
I pray that I may have patience,
and that my will may be swal-
lowed up in the divine will.”—
Seeing her sisters very much
affected, she took them both by
the hand, and with a look of in-
expressible sweetness, said:
« Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are ;
While on his breast I lean my head,
And breathe my life out gently there."

Of a young brother and sister who were absent, she said, "Charge them, if I do not see them, to prepare to follow me. My prospects for long life, one year ago, were as promising as theirs now are. Oh, tell them God is waiting to be gracious and that they never will find happiness in any thing but religion. I have enjoyed more hap-"Weep not for me, my dear piness in one hour of prayer, or sisters, but weep for yourselves at a religious meeting, than in and for your children." my whole life while in the service of sin. Tell them these are my dying words."

To several connections of the family, and particular persons of her acquaintance, she sent the most pressing desires that they would not delay repentance for an hour-charging them as their dying friend to make their peace with God-Assuring them that nothing but religion could give them any true peace in the world, or support them in the hour of death. She also expressed a tender concern for all her young friends in her native place

and spoke with regret of their

It was noticed as remarkable by those present that though evidently dying, she could speak with such an audible voice, and distinct articulation, and with so little intermission, till her last moments.

The above is but a specimen of her conversation. Indeed, in the opinion of those who were present, but a faint idea can be given of the interesting scene. Death appeared to be baffled by his prey. It was both a pleasing and solemn day to the Christians who were present. They were humbled, encouraged and strengthened; and rejoiced and

triumphed in the grace and pow- if through grace, they are enaer of God, by which a feeble bled to be followers of them who mortal was enabled by the vic- through faith and patience intory of faith, to triumph over herit the promises, they shall the world, and over death. Their shortly have a happy meeting souls might triumphingly say, with her, as she prayed they "O death! where is thy sting ?" might, to part no more; where Even persons of philosophical they will find her improvedand sceptical minds, wondered-possessed of far higher degrees were impressed-said" they had of knowledge and grace, and ev never seen the like" that "suchery thing which is excellent, tranquillity of soul in death was than she had here below, being glorious!" And seemed almost perfected in the image of her disposed to admit it to be an ev-God and Saviour.

instances of the power and faithfulness of God in the death of his children. In such instances God shows his people something of what heaven is, and what he is able to do for them. If he can so fill the souls of his children with joy and peace even in the dark valley of the shadow of death; what shall we conceive of the realms of light and bliss in his immediate presence?

idence of the reality of experi- Let Christians be humbled, enmental religion, and its import-couraged and quickened, by such ance in the article of death. What a striking instance indeed was it, of the efficacy and worth of a Christian faith? What an instance of its power to overcome the world! What motives had she to desire to live-motives I mean calculated to operate upon the feelings of the human heart? But such was the light which shone upon her soul-such the joy and peace she had in believing, and so high her affection to her God and Saviour, that she could part with an affectionate consort-all her friends to whom she was most tenderly attached, and even the little surviving babe of her bosom, to go at the call of God, through the dark valley of the shadow of death. What a display of grace! What a precious death! "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

Let not careless professors, who live in a compliance with the maxims and customs of a vain generation, expect that such a peaceful death will be theirs. They are planting thorns to pierce them in their dying moments.

Let sinners ask themselves, whether the death here recorded is like the death of the wicked, or not more to be desired? And if they desire to die the death of Let all who read, reflect seri- the righteous, and to have their ously upon the subject-give latter end like his-let them reGod the glory, and learn to prac-member that they must live the tise the lessons which it teaches. life of such a life of faith on Let surviving connections be consoled under a temporary loss of their friend, from the consideration of the glory which she has been instrumental of giving to God, by her death-and that

the Son of God. In this way, and in this only, may they hope that their deaths will be peaceful, and precious in the sight of the Lord.

tentols.

(Continued from p. 395.)

Return to Zak River.

The Rev. Mr. Kicherer's Narra- [ terposed, and prevented this mistive of his Mission to the Hot-chief. About this time, General Dundas, the British Governor of the Cape, was pleased to make me a present of 1001. in reward of my services, and offered to promote me to the living at Rodezand, where Mr. Voss had been minister; this generous offer however I thought it right to decline.

HA

Some of the Boschemen of the country about Zak River, who expressed a desire for our return to that neighborhood, having mischievously given us false information, that consider

AVING continued at the Great River about ten months, and finding that the produce of the land was insufficient for the support of our numerous cattle, we thought it expedient to separate. We began to remove in the month of March, 1802. The river being then low, we took the favorable opportunity of crossing it; but as we could not at that time passable rain had fallen in the wilthe desart, we erected sheds of derness, (a circumstance which branches for a temporary resi- alone could enable us to pass it,) dence, till we should be able to we broke up our encampment, pursue our journey to Zak Riv- and commenced our journey. er. Here we celebrated the We had not proceeded far, beNew Year; when all my peo- fore we were convinced that the ple came to dine with me, and I Boschemen had deceived us.preached to them on the para- We travelled till the third day ble of the Barren Fig-Tree. I without finding a drop of water. was much indisposed in body at Our cattle then began to be in this time, owing, I conceive, to the utmost distress; their looks the want of bread; nor was I indicated extreme anguish, and more comfortable in my mind. their piteous lowing seemed to I should have remarked, that forebode our destruction in the in the month of January, the En-wilderness. At length we found glish Commissioners, returning a very small pool, just sufficient from the Bootsuannas, request- to assuage our own thirst, but ed me to assist them in procuring cattle; I therefore accompanied them to the Kraal of Cornelius Kock, by whom we were kindly received. Immediately I embraced the opportunity of preaching, and teaching the people, which I continued from morning to night.

My poor people, at home, were in the mean time in much danger of being deprived of all their property, by a Boscheman free-booter of great fame, whose name is Courakakoup. Providence, however, seasonably inVOL. V. No. 11.

not that of our animals. A girl was just going to drink, when, to our great mortification, we perceived that it had been poisoned by the Boschemen, for we discovered many heads of serpents swimming in it. I know it is commonly reported that the venom of serpents may be swallowed without danger, but our experience leads us to believe the contrary. Water thus poisoned will soon cause a person who has drank it to become so giddy that he cannot walk upright, and if an antidote be not Fff

time travelled on with the remainder of the caravan. On the

speedily administered, he will certainly expire in a few hours. It is, however, true, that Bosche-next day, my people joined us men, being properly prepared, with seventy-three out of eighty will drink the poisoned water Oxen which had been stolen without prejudice to their health. from us. They had happily falWe were greatly distressed on len in with the robbers, at the the sight of these serpents' distance of a long day's journey heads, and knew not what course beyond the hills, and recovered to take. I deliberated in my the property; but two of our own mind, whether I should call horses had been killed by the the people together for a public fatigue. prayer-meeting on this occasion, to implore of God a supply of rain; but having weighed the matter fully, I resolved to apply in private prayer to our Saviour, and being supported in this by my Brother Scholtz, we earnestly intreated his help in this our time of need. The Lord graciously heard the voice of our supplication, granting us, in the course of a few hours, such "showers of blessings," as put a period to our distress. We praised the name of Christ, and stayed two days at this place to recruit our cattle.

On the morning which was fixed for our departure, one of our Cows came home with an arrow sticking in her flank. We immediately concluded that the Boschemen had driven away part of our herd. In these cases they oblige the cattle to run as fast as they can, and when any of them is unable to keep up with the rest, they pierce it with a dart; in consequence of which it falls on the road, and the carcase is fetched away by the robbers on the following day. The Cow which returned to us had been thus treated, and served as a messenger to apprize us of what had happened. I dispatched some Hottentots with fire arms to pursue the track of the banditti; and in the mean

Leaving my flock under the care of Brother Scholtz, I hastened forward, towards the resi dence of the nearest Farmers, partly that I might gratify my extreme longing for a morsel of bread, having been without this kind of food for half a year. I stopped on the road only a single night, urging my journey with all possible dispatch, in company with three of the best of my people, Cornelius and James de Trees, and John Kotze, whose conversation was singu larly spiritual and pleasant; happier hours than these I scarcely ever spent. At length I came within sight of the first Farmer's house, my joy on approaching which was inexpressible. My first request was for a piece of bread, which I immediately devoured with the keenest appetite. It is difficult to conceive of the gratification I enjoyed, when tasting once more this long-missed article of food.Shortly after this, I arrived in safety at my home near Zak River. I rejoiced exceedingly when I regained the favored spot, where the Lord had shown me so many wonders of his grace and goodness. My dear Cornelius was overjoyed, and said, "O Sir! what happy times