your many past favors, and my prayers for your peace and com

fort through life, and belive me,

Your unalterable friend,

SARAH HOFFMAN.

TO THE SAME LADY.

Neither the trouble of writing, or dictating, shall prevent me the pleasure of communicating with a beloved friend and fellow pilgrim; for though my words may be brief, and without any thing new, yet I can but offer once again the same grateful heart, the same tender wishes, and repeat the assurances of the same christian fellowship; all of which will surely give satisfaction to us both. I therefore take a favorable moment to acknowledge your kind note, and its acceptable contents. I appreciate fully your kindness, and feel deeply sensible of every effort of your friendship to administer to my ease and comfort. May the blessings of a good God follow you in your journey! Doubtless you are now enjoying all the delights that free air and the beautiful landscape can afford to one who reads the Book of Nature with a christian eye: but these are things I have not the Divine permission to enjoy. Still, blessed by his Name, I am yet a prisoner of hope, looking for a better country, that is an heavenly; one that shall never fade or pass away. So, my dear friend, you see that my afflictions are but working in me, patience, and patience experiênce, and experience a hope that shall not make me ashamed in the day of the Son of man. Pray for me, and remember me in your thank offerings; for what abundant reason have we not all to magnify him! And although he makes me a partaker of a cup of bitterness and trembling, it is from a Father's hand, that I may be made a greater partaker of his blessed Spirit. How then shall I complain, however miserable this poor and painful body may feel, while with the Patriarch Jacob, faith and hope remain my portion, by which, like him, I can worship my God, bowing on my bed's head. Such peaceful intelligence, I know, will be cheering strength and consolation to you, and I pray increase to your afflicted and suffering friend, who desires her sincere love to Mrs. A. and all her family, in which our dear R. is included. SARAH HOFFMAN.

A NOTE TO HER FRIEND MRS. B.

The subsiding storm gives ease to my crippled hands, and allows me, my dear friend, to tell you, that from inability to write, I was disappointed at not having the privilege of sending you a few lines, expressive of my regard, with the small memorial of my friendship which my heart dictated to your beloved daughter. I therefore reply to your affectionate note, happy of the opportunity of giving this testimony of my regard for you and your's. Be pleased, therefore, to accept my best wishes for your happiness and peace, and to offer dear Jesse the assurance of my continual prayer for her comfort and safety at the approaching hour of trouble; the trial of which, I well know, is lessened to her in apprehension, by a prepared heart of trust in Him who is her house of defence, and in whose hands all her times are. All work together for a blessing to those who love him; and our God is a present comfort in trouble. Such is the blessing of a union with Jesus! I rejoice, my dear friend, that we and your dear children may rejoice together, having a lot in such a precious inheritance. That we may be continually blessed with spiritual prosperity, is the prayer and trust of

Your affectionate

SARAH HOFFMAN.

Thus did our departed friend pass away three long years in her chamber, exercising faith; hope and patience in the God of her mercy, until the day of her appointed time arrived, when she bid adieu to all that is mortal, and like a faithful servant, entered into the joys of her Lord.

LAST VISITS TO MRS. HOFFMAN.

Go-witness the last scene of human life!
Then listen to the dying child of grace,

And learn IMMANUEL's power to save!

Ir has frequently been asserted that, "the true character of man is not to be determined, until he turns the period of death." To continue for a time in a course of religious profession, and

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of public usefulness, and afterwards to turn aside from the paths of rectitude, and die beneath a dark cloud, has too often been witnessed, to admit a denial of the fact. And although it be certain, that the Lord knoweth them that are his; it is equally true, the Saviour hath given us this visible mark of them: He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mat. xxiv. 13. While, therefore, we are frequently called to witness the last moments of a dying penitent, whose life has been spent in thoughtless vanity and sin, and whose repentance is so strongly marked as to create a charitable hope of his salvation; yet, visits to a person, who, for many years, has received the mercy of God, preserved an uniformity of piety, and closed the scene of mortality in faith, peace and joy: this produces a different effect, and never fails to create the most happy assurance of the real worth of his character, the reality of religion, and a full persuasion of his future felicity. Under these impressions, I shall recite the substance of my last visits to the venerable Mrs. Hoffman; that while it may serve as an additional memorial to her surviving family, others may be induced to follow her bright example.

That spirit of christian benevolence which, for many years, Mrs. Hoffman so warmly cherished to the poor and needy, did not decline with her age. On my last visits she would make earnest inquiries of the general state of the public institutions under my ministerial care. "Come," she would say, " tell me how the aged are supplied in the Alms-House; are they allowed little refreshments? Surely if I find the comfort of such things, those poor creatures must need them too. Do you continue to make your visits to the Orphan Asylum, to examine and instruct the children? How many are there in the house? Do they improve in their learning, and do they look healthy and lively? I know that Mr. and Mrs. M'Farlane have always been kind and faithful people; and, I have confidence in their good character and kindness. But you know that my time and ability to visit the Asylum are expired, and all that I can now do for them is, to present them in my prayers to the orphan's God and Father. It is a delight to me still to hear that they do well, and that the Lord blesses them. You must keep on with your visits, and try to do them all the good you can: and the Lord will bless you for your kindness."

Friday morning, July 6th, on my way to the establishment at Bellevue, I made Mrs. Hoffman a visit. She was confined altogether to her bed, and endured severe pain. On my inquiring the state of her mind under the weight of her affliction, she replied, "I frequently experience the sensible presence of my blessed Redeemer. At times, my meditations on the Lord, and his merciful kindness to me, are very sweet; but, the depression on my head, and the pains I feel, too often interrupt my devotional pleasures. Indeed such happy moments are quickly gone, when compared with my earnest wish for their continuance." With some feeling she adverted to the fifth chapter of RomansWe glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope, &c. "I want," said she, "to have more of this experience in my heart; and I wish you to pray that my patience may increase, so that I may wait 'till it please my God and Father to receive me to his heavenly presence above. My old friend, you do not know how often, and how much of that refreshment I need; and you must not forget to give me your consoling advice." I explained to her, that true experience was produced by the conflict between nature and grace; or, the opposition between the flesh and the renewed spirit of the christian; and that it arises from the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost given unto us. v. 5. Therefore, it became her duty to plead with her heavenly Father, to grant her more abundance of his Spirit to increase and confirm her experience; having this encouraging promiseHe giveth his holy Spirit to them that ask him. She replied, "this is true; I want more of the influence of this blessed Spirit; I cannot pray without it, and he is my comforter." As she had often expressed to me, her anxiety for more patience to support her under the pressure of her pains, I continued my address by explaining to her, that the kind of patience which proceeds from experience, was very different from that which arises form the mere consideration that our distresses are not so great as they might have been; or so great as many others endure. Jesus said unto his disciples-In your patience possess ye your souls. Luke xxi. 19. This virtue comes from God, who is the God of all patience; not only that he has patience under, our sinful murmurings and

sins, but gives us patience under all our afflictions; so that, in some degree we can say, Father, not my will, but thine be done. Christ himself is our great copy for the exercise of this patience under all his sufferings. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep is dumb before her shearers so opened he not his mouth. Now, in proportion as you receive this patience from your God, so will you possess your soul in sweet serenity under all your pains and sufferings. "Yes," said she, "this is true patience; when I meditate on the sufferings of the Saviour for my sins, why should I complain? Yet, I must tell you, that I need more patience, that I may not be permitted to repine, but hold out to the last. And now I wish you to kneel down by my bed, and pray that God may be with me, and grant me more experience and more patience." Having gratified her request, she said, "sit down a minute longer; I have something to ask you. My time to continue here on earth cannot be very long. As my old friend, I wish you, when on your way to Bellevue every Friday, to visit the poor, you would call and spend a few minutes with me in conversation and prayer; it will contribute to my refreshment and comfort." This I promised.

On my next visit, Mrs. Hoffman appeared more rapidly to hasten to her final close of life. Although she frequently expressed to me the ground of her hope for future felicity, on this visit, I possessed a solicitude to receive from her dying lips, whatever might be interesting upon so important a subject; for it is death that tries human souls, and a dying testimony, connected with a virtuous life, is always the most valuable to survivors. I therefore again proposed the question, and received for answer: "My soul is fixed alone upon the infinite merit of Jesus, my blessed Redeemer. It is on his blood and righteousness I rest for the pardon of my sins, and the acceptance of my person, with my God and Father. And it is his promise, that he will never leave me nor forsake me, which encourages me that I shall be kept steadfast unto the end. I cannot say that I am always comfortable, or that I am free from temptation; but my whole desire and prayer to the Lord is for his grace and consolation." From such a satisfactory communication, I encouraged her confidence in the faithfulness and love of her Saviour, by repeating a few promises