Like thee may we toil, that with thee we may rest,
With our Saviour above, in the home of the blest!”
SECOND AND BETTER BIRTH.
Miss Fiske could neither remember the time when she was unimpressed by religious truth, nor the precise period at which she was born again. To her father she was indebted for that remarkable acquaintance with the Bible, which often surprised and delighted her friends. Fond of general reading, he took a special pleasure in consulting the lively oracles. He honoured the Bible in the family. When his children manifested a distaste for their lessons in the catechism, he permitted them to substitute the inspired for the uninspired word. He believed that it was quite as safe to drink at the fountain-head as at the stream. When thirteen years of age, her Sabbath-school teacher—a daughter of her pastor—one day faithfully addressed her class on the subject of personal religion. That night Fidelia lay on her bed wakeful and tearful. At length her anxiety became too great to be concealed. Her mother suspecting the true state of the case, and alluding to the fact that something seemed to be troubling her, one day kindly said, “What is it, my child?” The full heart instantly overflowed with the long pent-up feeling, as she answered, “Mother, I am a lost sinner.” She had a wise counsellor, who led her to look well into the grounds of her hope; and the result was a Christian profession, not only free from palpable defect, but unusually enriched with the fruits of the Spirit. When an infant leaves the womb, although the same, it may be said to be a new creature. Now, just because the change wrought on the soul in conversion is also great, it is called a birth. That is the first; this is the second, and better birth. Better! because in that a daughter of man is born but for the grave; whereas in this a daughter of God is born for glory.
JUVENILE HABIT OF DOING GOOD.
She soon began to take a deep and active interest in the spiritual welfare of others. Her heart went forth most tenderly towards the poor of Christ’s flock, amongst whom she spent a large portion of her time, seeking not only to comfort them, but to improve her own piety by listening to their simple records of Divine goodness. She loved the Lord’s poor intensely; and could not bear to hear their infirmities too freely animadverted upon. She delighted unbidden to soothe the sorrows of those who were in distress, no matter how bad their previous conduct may have been. To activity in her kind offices she joined perseverance. Her charity was an evergreen, preserving its verdure at all seasons.
The Sabbath-school was to her a most congenial sphere of usefulness, and to its labours she gave herself with full purpose of heart. She had a high idea of the importance of this work; spent much time in preparation for her class; and was an example of punctuality, regularity, kindness, and devotion. Her interest in her pupils was not confined to the hour spent with them on the Sabbath. She sought, in various ways, to win them to Christ, often calling the pen to her aid. Verily she believed that the whole Church was formed of individual members, and the whole tide of Christian exertion made up of single acts; just as the ocean is formed of drops, the globe of particles, and the nocturnal glory of single stars. Her sentiments were in harmony with the following inspiring verses:—
“Go up and watch the new-born rill,
Just bursting from its mossy bed;
Streaking the heath-clad hill,