own personal indisposition; but they did not yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness, because he was too deeply absorbed in his secular pursuits. At length, the scene was suddenly changed: the sun of his prosperity went down while it was yet day; the night of adversity came on; and he became involved in difficulties from which he was unable to recover himself. Like many other aspiring persons, he was not contented with the regular profits of his retail business; and, therefore, to accumulate a fortune with dispatch, he sallied forth into the wide field of speculation. The success which attended his first efforts in this hazardous enterprize encouraged him to proceed; but, instead of realizing the gains he anticipated, one tremendous loss succeeded another, till he was reduced to a state of absolute and irretrievable ruin. He was now compelled to fall back into more private life; and took the situation of collecting clerk to the firm which he served before he entered into business for himself.

"I am not surprised, sir," he said to me, "at the reverse which has taken place, because in my prosperity I provoked the Lord to jealousy. He gave me wealth, and though I did not bow down and worship it, yet it became the idol of my attachment—alienating my thoughts and affections from the living and true God."

"I long anticipated," added Mrs W., some severe dispensation of providence, because the trials with which we were exercised in the loss of our children produced no permanent effect on our minds. We wept, it is true, when they left us and were carried to the grave; but, instead of inquiring into the reason why our living comforts were smitten by the stroke of death, we were as eager after the riches of the earth, as the most devoted men of the world."

"Yes," replied Mr W., "and the increase of wealth, instead of yielding satisfaction, merely served to inflame the passion of desire after more."

"Then I presume, while you were under the ensnaring influence of the love of accumulation, you neglected to cultivate intimate communion with God."

"We never, sir, entirely abandoned the habits of devotion, but its pure and heavenly feelings had long, very long, been annihilated in my heart."

"Then I presume the Sabbath afforded you no enjoyment?"

"The Sabbath, sir, was to me in general, not only a dull, but very painful day. I could not abstain altogether from public worship, but often felt inclined to do so, because the faithful ministry of our pastor at times almost drove me to despair."

"The Sabbath is now," added Mrs W., our best day-it is both a day of rest, and a day of devotion."

"Yes," said Mr W., "the scene is indeed changed, and though the change has been attended by some distressing circumstances, yet I bless God that he has brought it about."

"Then, sir, you feel no disposition to murmur?” "Murmur! no, sir. If I had retained my fidelity to God in the days of my prosperity; if while he was enriching me with the wealth of earth, I had still had my conversation in heaven, I might have been permitted to have held on my way without meeting the evils which have befallen us; but I proved unfaithful to him, became vain in my imagination, and my deceitful heart led me astray. He has, by the reverse which he has brought to pass, shown me my folly, my guilt and danger; and once more brought me into fellowship with himself. We have been forced, it is true, out of our rank in society, we have lost a large fortune, and have been abased before others but we have gained by our losses, sweeter, purer and more durable felicity, than the accumulation of wealth ever afforded; and are once more permitted to take our station amonst the sons of God, to whom he gives manifestations of his favour which are withheld from those who mind earthly

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things. I can now say, 'I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.''

"I often murmured in my heart against him," said Mrs W., "for removing our children from us; but now I see the kindness which dictated those painful visitations of his providence. They were taken from the evil to come; and we are undeservedly relieved from that load of anxiety, which we should necessarily feel if we had a large family to support with our comparatively scanty means."

"But I hope your means are sufficiently ample to enable you to enjoy the comforts of life."

She paused, looked steadfastly on her husband for a few seconds, and then replied, "Our means, sir, are more than sufficient to supply our actual wants; but Mr W. thinks it his duty to appropriate a portion of his income, to discharge some debts which he feels bound in honour to pay."

"Your afflictions, my friends, have been severe; but I perceive, from the tenor of your remarks, that they have increased rather than destroyed your mutual happiness."

"Yes, sir, they have been severe. When I first heard of my husband's insolvency, I was overwhelmed in distress; and no tongue can describe the agony I

felt, when obliged to exchange our splendid mansion for this humble roof. But, sir, now I see the end of the Lord in all these afflicting dispensations; I can say, that comparative poverty with his blessing, is preferable to boundless wealth without it.

"Good when he gives, supremely good,

Nor less when he denies,

E'en crosses from his sovereign hand
Are blessings in disguise.'"

"Then I presume you do not, like Lot's wife, look back with regret on the possessions which you have been obliged to resign, coveting their repossession?"

"I believe, sir, that we both make the prayer of Agur our own; and beyond this our desires are not extended. 'Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord; or, lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.'

After taking tea with them, and promising to repeat my visit, the storm being over, I retired, meditating on the advantages which a Christian often derives from adversity. In the review of my own varied intercourse with society,' says an intelligent author, 'I confess nothing so vividly and powerfully affects me, as what I recollect to have met with