"No, Ella, not me. I have sinned away my day of grace, and now it is too late; there can be no more mercy for such a wretch as I."
"Aunt Prudence," said Ella, "the adversary of souls, the devil, 'who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour,' has long been successful in making you put off repentance, by persuading you to trust in a false hope, telling you that you were as good, and as likely to be saved as others; and now that he finds that he cannot make you shut your eyes any longer to the danger, he would fain persuade you that it is too late to repent and seek God. But don't—Oh! don't listen to his suggestions. It is not too late. Jesus stands ready to save you. Oh! come to him now, for he says, 'I will in no wise cast out.'"
Miss Clinton sat for some time without speaking, her face buried in her hands, while Ella was silently lifting up her heart to God in her behalf.
"Ella," said she at last, "go to bed, child, and leave me; I wish to be alone now."
Ella bent over her aunt, and kissed her forehead, saying in a low tone, "Good night, dear aunt; remember, 'He is able to save unto the uttermost.'"
The next morning, Miss Prudence seemed more composed, but said nothing on the subject of the last night's conversation, and there was something in her manner which kept Ella from alluding to it. Weeks passed away, and gradually a change seemed to come over Miss Prudence. She seemed calm, and even cheerful, was more patient than Ella had ever known her, and spoke very gently and pleasantly, and Ella several times surprised her reading her Bible, and shedding tears over it; still she said nothing on the subject for some time.
At length one quiet Sabbath-evening when they were sitting together at the window, watching the last rays of the setting sun, laying her hand on her niece's shoulder, while the tears trembled in her eyes, she said, "Ella, I have begun to indulge a faint, a trembling hope that I have been born again, that I am changed; that with me 'old things have passed away, and all things have become new,' and that when my Sabbaths here on earth are over, I shall go to spend an eternal Sabbath in heaven. Yes, spend it in praising redeeming love,
'Amazing love! how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.'
"And it is to you, Ella, under God, more than to any one else, that I owe this. I have watched you for years, and have been astonished to see the careless, proud, self-willed, passionate child, change to the meek, submissive, patient, and humble young Christian. I had often said to myself that there was nothing in religion, but how could I doubt it any longer when I saw such fruits?"
"O aunt Prudence," said Ella, "I have often felt afraid that I was the stumbling block in your way that was keeping you from coming to Christ; for I have come so very far short in the performance of my duty, I have shown so little of the spirit of Christ."