words, 'I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' After proving that all the Scriptures, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, pointed to Christ and his great work of redemption, and asserting that that sermon could not be called the gospel of which He was not the subject, he spoke home to his audience, and told them that this, through the aid of divine grace, was his firm purpose — to dwell on redeeming love. He was sure no subject would be welcome to any Christian, where Christ was not to be found; nor would any such subject ever convert a sinner; and therefore, if any were about to take their place there, expecting to hear any new or strange thing, let them not disappoint themselves. O, for a thankful heart; the Lord has indeed done wonders for me and mine; and blessed be his name for his mercy also, that in a remarkable manner, by a strange concurrence of circumstances, he hedged me in to become a member of this congregation, where I am led and fed with the same truths which nourished my soul in Zion's gates at Edinburgh; and I am helped to sing the Lord's song in a foreign land. Often have I been tempted to hang my harp upon the willow, 'when Zion I thought on;' but this was, and sometimes still is my sin and ingratitude, for I ought to build houses, and plant vineyards, and seek the good of the land; for he has a small vineyard here, which he waters and cultivates, and I ought to labor therein, and do whatsoever my hand findeth to do with diligence, and say, 'The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; heaven is his throne, the earth his footstool,' and he fills all things and all places.
"'What aileth thee, Hagar?' O what a God of mercy is our God! Often has he hailed me in some such language: 'What aileth thee?' why is thy countenance sad? am I not better to thee than ten friends? Then has he turned my heart to him, made me feel myself close to him; he has suffered me to lean on his bosom, hang on his arm, and lisp out, Abba. At such blest moments I have thought the whole earth but one point, and from that to heaven but one step, and the time between but as one moment; and my company here sufficient to satisfy me by the way. At such blest moments I felt perfect, full, entire satisfaction with all that God is, all that he does; and could trust him fully with all my concerns, spiritual, temporal, and eternal. But, alas, by and by, like a peevish child, I began to fret, wish this, wish that; grieve for this, grieve for that; fear this, fear that; stagger, stumble, fall. O what a God of patience and long-suffering. And O how rich that well-ordered covenant, that provides suitable grace for all these unsteady seasons. It is my greatest consolation that the Lord knows it all. There are times when I cannot see him, but every moment he sees me. I should fall off and leave him, but he holds me fast and never leaves me. O blessed plan, where God secures us in safety, even from ourselves. We have not only destroyed ourselves, and he has been our help; but we are ever destroying ourselves, and still he renews this help.
"Well, what shall we say? Father, glorify thy name, and let us lie in thy hand as clay in the potter's, till thou finish thy workmanship, and fit us vessels of mercy, to be filled with happiness, when thou shalt have done thy good pleasure in us, and by us, in
this world, through the grace that is in Christ Jesus, who loved us, and gave himself for us; to whom be glory, honor, and praise in the church below, and in the general assembly above, now and ever. Amen.
"My love, my heart's love, to my dear Mrs. D——. I am ever your affectionate friend, in the bonds of the gospel,
"ISABELLA GRAHAM."
Early in 1793 Mrs. Graham heard, from a worthy clergyman at Greenock, who, at her request, paid attention to her son, that he had been very ill of a fever, and subsequently subject to epileptic fits. In one of these he had fallen from the mast-head, and was rendered unfit for service for many months. The gentleman to whom he was apprenticed, permitted him to leave. In these circumstances Mrs. Graham addressed to him the following letter:
"MY LONG-LOST BUT STILL DEAR SON — If this ever reach you, hearken to the voice of your mother, your only parent, and to the voice of God by her. O, my son, you have had a long race in the service of Satan; he has kept you in bondage and made you his drudge. You are far advanced in the broad way that leads to destruction — to that place of endless torment prepared for the devil and his angels, to which Satan is dragging you. He has even been seeking the destruction of your body, that he might have you secure.
"O, my son, think. Has he proved a good master? What have you found in his service? and has he not disappointed all your gayest hopes, and fed you with husks? Have you, my son, been happy? Are you not obliged to drive away your own reflections? I know you are. Dare you, my son, sit down and
think over all the past, all the present, and look forward to the future with any degree of comfort? My son, you cannot. Hear then the word of the Lord; that Lord, that merciful Lord, who has seen you in all your rebellion, heard every profane oath you may have uttered, seen you rioting among the sons of Belial; yet what is his voice to you? O, my son, it is not, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.' No, my son, the door of mercy is still open to you; the Lord calls, 'O sinner, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help.' Only repent, so iniquity shall not prove your ruin.' 'Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry.' 'Hear, and your soul shall live.' 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved' — saved from hell; saved from Satan and his snare; saved from the force of corruption in your heart.