pain if I saw the few plants which I have, through grace, been instrumental in planting, withering and dying? On the other hand, if I see them standing fast, growing and bearing fruit, proportionably great will be my joy. Such, my dear sisters, is the joy in you and others of the little society in Charlestown. This joy is increased when I hear you express, as you have done in your letters, a desire for full redemption in the blood of Christ. What shall I say to you to assist you in this good work? Can I say anything that I have not said? I have said to you, scores of times, believe, and the blessing is yours.

and, when you get this

"1. Believe that it is attainable degree of faith, fix your mind there. After being convinced that this is the doctrine of the Bible, do not suffer the enemy to come in at the time you are struggling for full redemption, and disconcert your mind by suggesting, 'perhaps there is no such blessing attainable!' Be assured much is lost by our not holding all we gain. What doth it profit if we gain half our object, and then, while we are thinking of the other half, lose all we have gained? Yet this is the way that too many are in who are seeking to 'perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.' The devil quarrels all away from them that they gain, and then they have to begin anew; and perhaps a number of times, in the course of their experience, they have to begin back to the first principles of the doctrine of sanctification, and learn that such a blessing is attainable. But let us, in our Christian experience, adopt the miser's maxim: Keep what you get, and get what you can.' Fasten everything as you go. When you have gained one foot of ground, suffer not your enemy to flatter you out of it, nor reason you out of it, nor frighten you out of it. If you take this course you will constantly gain something; you have to contend for your ground inch by inch, yet all you gain will be yours.

and, though

"2. You must not only believe there is such a blessing, but also believe it is for you. The tempter would make you believe, if he could, that your God is a partial God; that he has a few choice blessings, which he confers upon individuals preachers, perhaps, and a few others—but they can

not be obtained by all. But believe him not; he is dishonouring your God by such a suggestion.

"3. If your case seems the most difficult of any—if it seems almost impossible that such unholy and sinful hearts as yours can be made holy-believe that, the more difficult the case, the more ready the great Physician is to offer his assistance, the more will he be glorified and his grace magnified in your cause. The Lord Jesus delights to search out and afford assistance to the greatest sinners. Is there a woman that has spent all her substance with physicians, and finds no relief? is there an impotent man, that hath lain a long time at the pool, and not been healed? is there a Magdalen that has seven devils ?-these are the very cases that our Lord relieves.

"I might go on with my instructions, but, to say all in a few words, go to Christ; take him for your sanctification and your all. And permit me to add one word of caution: While you are striving for more victory, while you are panting for all the fulness of God, do not suppose that nothing is to be enjoyed and nothing can be done till you receive all that you are seeking for. Many in this way have laboured, and toiled, and took no spiritual refreshments until they have sunk under their exertions, and for a time given over their pursuit; but, seeing their need, they have started again, and again exhausted themselves and given over their pursuit, and perhaps given up the object altogether. At any rate, they do not gain so much ground as if they fed themselves as they went along. Saul, at a certain time, in his eagerness to destroy his enemies, prohibited the people from eating, that they might have the more time to destroy their foes; but the people, in consequence, became faint, and the victory was not so great as if they had eaten freely.-(See 1 Sam., xiv., 24, 28, 29, 30.) But be ye not like them. God has laid no such prohibition upon you. If, as you pursue your spiritual foe, the trees of grace around you are dropping with honey, you may not only take a morsel on the end of your rod, but eat freely, till your soul is satisfied; and then, not only will your eyes be enlightened, but your souls will be strengthened to pursue your enemies till all are slain.

Fight on and rejoice on. While contending for more ground, cultivate what you have got. This is the way to make your exertions constant and your warfare joyous. O what a glorious combat is this! We triumph while we fight."

"To MRS. GOODWIN.

"March 14.

"I know of nothing very important to communicate to you; but, as you and your daughters have manifested such a deep interest in my welfare, perhaps the old dull and uninteresting subject, self, may not be altogether such to you and yours, especially if he be not put forward too much, and kept upon the stage too long. To begin, then, with the body; in its outward appearance, it is much as when you saw it; also in its strength and activity (or, rather, weakness and inactivity) much the same. It is but a weak and tottering cottage, in which the immortal inhabitant tabernacles for a few days. She hopes for, and talks of a better house. And were it not for the weakness of her faith, and a sense of her own unworthiness and sinfulness; were it not that she has not yet obtained leave of her Lord to enter into the heavenly mansions, the spirit would ere this have made her escape through some of the chinks and openings of this earthly cottage, 'to the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' As it is, much of my time and attention are taken up in propping up the shattered building; not unlike (as I have often thought) the manner in which I have frequently seen the Vermont peasant support with shores and props his log cottage, that otherwise would fall and crush its inhabitants. But when he has done all, he has at best but a dangerous, inconvenient, and unlovely dwelling. So with me yet I murmur not; for my blessed Lord has given the promise that he will change this vile body, and fashion it like unto his most glorious body.'

"In hope of that immortal crown,

I now the cross sustain,

And gladly wander up and down,

And smile at toil and pain.'

See the whole hymn in our collection, page 481. Tell your daughters I know a sweet tune to the hymn, and hope I

shall one day have the pleasure of singing it to them. I often sing it till my soul is fired with the sentiment it contains. Every line is full of meaning, and full of an anticipated Heaven. But I perceive, in giving you an account of the body, I have imperceptibly slid into some account of the soul; and no wonder, for the soul is the most valuable; and but for this, the body would be worth nothing. And were it not that the soul needs some kind of a dwelling during its temporary stay here; and were it not that this body, refined and immortalized, is to be the companion of the soul hereafter, I would never more talk or think about it; but as it is, I think considerably of the body. Is the body here the medium and occasion of pain? Ah! says faith, it shall be the medium and occasion of happiness hereafter; and for your light pains on earth you shall have great degrees of happiness in heaven; and I believe happiness will be much more perfect, in consequence of the reunion of soul and body, than it otherwise would be. Is the body here a medium of temptations? Hereafter all its spiritualized senses shall be so many additional inlets of joy. Does the body here weigh down and clog the soul? There it shall be a light, buoyant vehicle, which, without touching the pavement of heaven, shall bear the soul swift as angels fly, and without weariness, through all the endless variety of the paradise of God. I need your indulgence. I begin to speak of the body, and I talk of the soul; I begin to speak of the soul, and I talk of the body; and I probably have spoken of both much longer than I ought. Jesus Christ is a better theme. Let me say, then, all that I have of bodily health and comforts I derive from Jesus the Creator and preserver; all I have of spiritual health and comforts I derive from Jesus the Redeemer; all my hopes for body or soul hereafter I derive from him. He is the sinner's friend, therefore he is my friend. He of God is made unto the believer wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.' 'Lord, I believe help thou my unbelief!'"

The period of Mr. Fisk's indisposition was one of great prosperity in the cause of religion throughout his vicinity.

The ministers of our own Church, though not generally men of finished education, were men of sound minds, good natural parts, of great decision and force of character, and deeply imbued with the spirit of their station. Their industry was indefatigable. They constantly preached for the conversion of sinners and sanctification of believers; always expected fruit, and were unhappy without it. According to the language of our Discipline, they considered "fruit" as a test of their call to the ministry. Hence their constant prayer was, "Give me children, or else I die." In this spirit each one went through the country like a flaming torch, carrying light and heat into every neighbourhood; and their success bore a good proportion to their labour. To this the state of the country was not entirely unfavourable. The people had been accustomed to a dry, cold, lifeless ministry, and a "form of godliness" without the power, which held no place in the affections, and exercised but little control over their consciences. Their prejudices, it is true, were very strong; but, as they heard for themselves, these gradually yielded before the power of reason. The truth took hold of their hearts, and spread from one to another, and from village to village, and town to town, until the region all around was in a blaze. Other denominations also caught the like spirit, so that the improvement in the religious condition was truly astonishing.

These were gratifying and trying seasons to Mr. Fisk: gratifying to his contemplations, but trying because not allowed to participate in the work. He was like a caged lion in a forest abounding with game, or a disabled war-horse neighing at the sound of the battle. Hear his own language: "Sometimes I am almost ready to rise up like Samson, who, when shorn of his strength, went out to shake himself as at other times, for he wist not that his strength had departed from him; but I soon learn my weakness, and sit down measurably reconciled that God should send by whom he will." And how deeply his affections were embarked in this work may be farther seen by the following extract from a letter to the Rev. Daniel Filmore: "My health is, on the whole, better since the opening of the spring. Perhaps the