Communion Service, open my grief to him, and ask the benefit of his ghostly counsel; a means which, if more frequently resorted to, would, I am sure, be much blessed both to pastor and flock.

I said nothing to the young people of my intention; but the first suitable opportunity that occurred the same day, I spoke with great earnestness and decision to my nephew respecting his visit to the public-house; which he promised me never to repeat: and I desired Susan to return the novel to Mrs. Maxwell. We talked with cheerfulness of our proposed visits, and in the evening I brought down a pretty instructive book of travels, which I requested my nephew to read aloud, while Susan worked. The young people seemed pleased, and I said to myself, "I will endeavour to gain more of their confidence and good affections; I will try to shew them, as Mrs. Williams said, that I mean to be useful to them: this may lead to better things."

CHAPTER V.

VISIT TO THE PARSONAGE.

MR. HILL dined early; he spent his mornings chiefly in his study; after dinner he was accustomed to walk or ride about his parish till teatime; afterwards, his house was open to any persons who might wish to consult him about their spiritual affairs; and it was not seldom that one or more of his parishioners were attending upon his family-prayers, which were never later than eight o'clock. He adopted this plan of receiving his parishioners at home, after his health became so indifferent as to oblige him to give up cottage lectures in an evening.

Mr. Hill had often called upon me, and we were on the best footing, for I had been brought up in the old system of never passing a parson without making a bow to him, and I was glad to have any opportunity of shewing civility or respect to Mr. Hill: yet still he knew nothing about me, at least from anything I had intentionally said to him; for though he had made many openings,

yet I had hitherto observed the most profound silence about the posture of my religious affairs; indeed, it had been only very lately that I had considered at all seriously myself about my own state. I had never entered his house except on business, and never remained longer in it than necessity required. I therefore found it a very painful exertion to put in execution the plan I had proposed: but my mind was set upon it, and trifling obstacles could not deter me.

Accordingly, the very next evening after the day I have spoken of, I knocked at the, door of his offices, and was led by his respectable middleaged maid-servant, who, with one man, formed the whole of his establishment, into the neat kitchen; whence, having sat a while in silence, I was led into the old gentleman's study, a neat comfortable room, very plainly furnished, but well stored with books, and some good pictures on sacred subjects.

Mr. Hill was seated in his high-backed chair by the fire, his table and books before him. He rose to welcome me; shook me by the hand, and cheerfully and courteously invited me to sit down. It was well known that no visiters on worldly business intruded on him at this hour, he therefore understood the nature of my errand, and perceived also my difficulties in opening my subject, for it is hard to bend an old and stubborn tree; and he so kindly, so gently smoothed the way for me by his own preface to our discourse, that un

wares almost to myself the stumbling-stones were removed, and I had entered easily upon the path which just before had seemed so very difficult.

I do not think it material to lay before my readers the details of the conversation which took place between us, especially as the fruits of it, I trust, will appear, more or less, in the progress of my narrative.

I was led to make a confidential avowal of all my feelings, of all my perplexities, and all my difficulties; and to lay open the habits and views of my past life: and my pastor pointed out to me the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world as taking away my sins in particular; and so was his counsel blessed to me, and so was the step, which I believe I had taken in faith, crowned with success, that the truths which I had so often heard with utter carelessness, as if I had nothing to do with them, now sounded in my ears as if I had never heard them before. I listened, I pondered, I wondered, I believed, I rejoiced, yet rejoiced with trembling.

I believe an hour had passed away, when a bell summoned the good man to family-prayers. He invited me to join his little party. I thanked him, and wiped away a few tears which still stood in my eyes; and I followed him scarcely knowing what I did.

My mind was so absorbed with the subject of our previous discourse, that I can give you little

information of what passed during this season of family devotion. I know that I was led into what, I suppose, was the usual sitting-room; that Mrs. Owen and her daughters were there, besides the two servants. I know that Mr. Hill read and expounded the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke; that the eldest daughter played upon a small organ an accompaniment to a hymn which was sung by all present except myself; that a beautiful prayer was offered up afterwards; and that when we rose from our knees I took my leave, thanking Mr. Hill, as he followed me to the door, for his great kindness and the consolatory nature of his discourse.

He said to me in reply, “Come to me whenever you please, I shall be always glad to see you."

As it may sometimes break in upon other subjects to tell you the exact times which I did avail myself of the good man's invitation, I shall here mention, once for all, that I was not backward to do so; and that I consulted him respecting many minor difficulties as they arose, and found his advice inestimable. Upon one occasion, in some little perplexities which I had respecting my niece, he referred me to his sister and her eldest daughter, and introduced me into the room where they were sitting together, employed in needlework. Civilities had passed between these ladies and myself since we had been in the country, and Miss Owen had often addressed herself to