The perfons particularly concerned in this facred drama, are, Elijah the prophet, and a poor widow-woman, who lived, by very hard and conftant labour; fo hard indeed, that she was obliged to pick her faggot to light her fire, before she could bake the bread, which that labour had gleaned. At the time of her first meeting with Elijah, the was more than usually ftraightened; for her whole ftock confifted of a handful of meal, and a little oil and fhe was then ftooping, in fearch of a few fticks, to dress this fcanty modicum, to preferve from death, herself and her fon. Yet this was the critical period-even while he was thus affectionately employed-this was the moment marked out by Providence, to try the ftrength of her fympathy: it was alas! no time to bestow, while her bounty was thus circumfcribed: nor was it a fit feafon to fhew the natural courtesy of her temper, when he was exerting her laft efforts in relief of her child, and wanted, in the foreft degree, the ordinary accommodations of life herfelf. Under this pref fure fure of her circumftances, it is worth while to see how fhe conducted herfelf. When Elijah the prophet (who figures fo fplendidly in facred hiftory) foretold, that a di4 vine punishment fhould alight upon Ahab (a man, who is reprefented as wicked and ill-difpofed above all that were before him). then, to escape that refentment, which his prophecy had kindled against him in the breast of Ahab, he hid himself by the brook Cherith, where the ravens were commanded to cater for his fupport, while the brook fupplied him with drink. The resource of the ftream however foon failing, he again fought fhelter elsewhere, and removed to Zarephath, where he no fooner arrived, than he beheld this widow-woman engaged, as before described, in gathering sticks; and he immediately called to her, and requested her to fetch him a little water in a veffel. This was not unreafonable; but did not he render it fomewhat fo, when he again called her back as he was haftening to oblige him, to defire she would bring a moral of bread likewife in her hand? A morfel of bread bread, and a little water, was, to be fure, afking the favour in as decent language as could be; but in this poor woman's particular fituation, it must have had a very important found: there is a most beautiful display of her charitable heart, in her anfwer." As the Lord thy God liveth, I "have not a cake, but a handful of meal in “a barrel, and a little oil in a crufe: and “behold, I am gathering two sticks that "I may go in and dress it for me and my "fon, that we may eat it and die :" as if she had faid, you fee my stock, frangerit is my very last meal-I am picking two fticks that I may lay my poor meal acrofs, and then-(as all further refources fail)my child and I will die in the arms of one another. Then it was, that Elijah bid-her not fear, for that "the barrel of meal "fhould not waste, nor the ctufe of oil. "fail unto the day that the Lord fendeth "rain upon the face of the earth ;" and this he affured her, was the fentiment of God himself. Now, had this woman beeninclined to fave her meal and oil to herself -had -had he been fwayed, or indeed ought influenced by that powerful felf-love which has foeneral an ascendency in the human. breaft; or had she even yielded to the force of those prudent maxims which teach, that, charity begins at home, and that self-prefervation is nature's firß law, how eafily might she have evaded this request? nay, what a fwarm of right, found apologies presented themselves for a fair denial! To the reasons already urged fhe might (had: fhe been a woman of the world) have added many others: fuch as the expecting condition in which the left her half-famished child-her own extreme hunger, and the piety of preferving herfelf and her little one, as long as she could poffibly find the fmallest means of fubfiftance. That to die, while yet a meal remained, would be a kind of fuicide; and to give a morfel from any part of her own family, when a morfel was all that was left for the support of two, would be a prodigality for which she ought to fuffer the poverty that muft inevitably refult from it. As to its being, as he said, the the command of the Almighty, the might reasonably offer a doubt as to the truth of that particular. Is there not-fhe Phight reply is there not, fomething of "inconfiftency, good stranger, in this part of your story? That we fhould affift one another, is, I know a focial and a religious duty; but this must be where plenty, or at least competence, prefents us with the delightful power.-It is not indeed surprizing that 1, (being the first perfon you have feen) fhould be the first addreffed on this occafion, becaufe I know hunger catchest at the flighteft and nearest poffibilities: but excufe me, if I think the matter of the promised miracles not a little problematical. Would God have directed your application to a poor defenceless widow-woman, who has a fatherless child to toil for, and is now labouring in the laft exigency.-Would he have faid-let her divide her all with you? Would He, who knows human nature fo intimately, and who never expects us to injure ourselves on any score whatever. -Would He have me liften to that which founds |