Canadian Wild Flowers | Page 5

my friend, and that I--the poorest, the lowest, the vilest
of sinners--may find a seat at his right hand; and the vaults of heaven
shall forever ring with the praises of a redeemed sinner, saved only
through the grace and blood of the crucified Saviour."
But the hour was at hand when there was to come such relief to the
troubled soul as it had never before experienced,--when the divine
Comforter was to take of the things of Christ and reveal them to the
longing heart,--and this maiden avow herself before the world a
disciple of Christ. How was this to be effected?
Sunday, July 25, I had an appointment to preach in Magog, and after
the forenoon service expected to baptize a young lady who had been a
schoolmate of Miss JOHNSON. In view of that arrangement I urged
that they should both go together in the ordinance, but could get no
encouragement that it would be so. We went to the church, where I
preached from Col. 3:1-4, and after sermon announced the hymn,--
"Gracious Lord, incline thine ear, My request vouchsafe to hear;
Burdened with my sins, I cry, Give me Christ, or else I die.
* * * * *
Father, thou hast given thy Son, Bruised for sins--that I have done; To
that refuge now I fly; Christ is mine--I shall not die."
The effect and what followed I will allow her to relate in her own

words:--
"Oh, the agony and the perfect peace that I have this day enjoyed! The
agony in the morning was almost insupportable. It seemed then utterly
impossible for me to take up so heavy a cross as to follow my Saviour
in the ordinance of baptism. The very thought was dreadful, and yet I
knew that it was my duty. I felt that the anger of God would be kindled
against me,--that his Holy Spirit would not always strive with me. I
threw myself upon my knees; but could find no peace there as long as I
continued proudly obstinate. I started from my knees and seized 'the
holy Book of God'; but there was nothing there to comfort me. I paced
the room hurriedly, at every step exclaiming, 'What shall I do?' and yet
I knew what to do, but would not do it. Thus the morning passed away,
and trembling with emotion I entered the house of God. The sermon
seemed designed expressly for me. At its close I grew more agitated.
The last hymn was read, and after singing we were to repair to the
water, where one happy being was to follow her blessed Saviour into a
watery grave. Oh, I shall never forget that hymn,-- never, no never. The
closing line of each verse seemed as an echo from my own heart, 'Give
me Christ or else I die'; but as the last line of the last verse fell upon my
ear--_'Christ is mine. I shall not die_," --I think that then I did truly feel
determined to come boldly forth and claim the precious promises of
God as my own.
"We sought the water's side, when Josephine asked me in a trembling
voice if I would be baptized. I thought she expected an answer in the
negative--at least I knew that she might reasonably expect it, for I had
told her plainly in the morning that I could not. My heart was too full to
speak: I only bowed my head in token of assent. I shall never forget the
look of joy that beamed in her countenance, nor the emotions that filled
my own bosom. I saw Eliza enter the water. Oh, glorious sight! I never
saw, never imagined so beautiful a scene. Every fear vanished, every
cloud withdrew from my soul, and I longed to enter the waving flood.
O my Saviour! I did not enter it alone. Surely it was nothing short of
the almighty arm of God that supported me then. I never in all my life
had so little fear of man: I had no fear then. Truly it was a foretaste of
heaven. Oh, happy, thrice happy moment! it was worth a whole lifetime
of sorrow. If I could always feel as I did then my heart would never
again be bowed down with grief: but that very afternoon Satan began to

whisper: 'You will not live up to your profession; you have deceived
yourself and others; you are still a wicked creature; you are not a
Christian'; and yet by the grace of God I was able, in some degree at
least, to resist him.
"When I partook of the Lord's supper I felt a repetition of the happiness
I had while obeying the command of my Saviour and following him
into a watery grave. How vividly