covenant with His people, and Christ Jesus is the Mediator of that covenant. His is the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. And through faith in this perfect covenant, my dear father, I am made happy, having received remission of my sins. I love Jesus; and I feel very certain that He loves me. I am striving for that crown of glory He has purchased for me. I seek a city out of sight, even the heavenly Jerusalem. I seek a tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For all my help I look to my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Finisher of my faith. And O, my dear father, that you would increase my joy, in seeing you thus happy too; in seeing you serve your Saviour too. Do begin to study the New Testament, will you there is a dear, good papa; do read the beautiful epistle from which I have just cited; it is St. Paul's to the Hebrews."

"O, my precious child! you have thrown me into great distress; I am much straitened; what will become of you? An anathema will be pronounced against you; your name will be blotted from among our people. You may sit with me to breakfast: after that you must enter my presence no more until a week has expired. Then I will see you again. If you persist in your apostacy, my dear child, I must do what I cannot bear to think upon-what it will almost kill me to do-part from you, that you may receive attention and instruction from abler hands than mine." (p. 164, et seq.)

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That week she spent in prayer and self-communing, and at its close, again met her father. Now, my darling, my precious child!" exclaimed he, with deep feeling, as she again entered his presence, "come to the bosom of your inconsolable father, and tell him you have adjured all your sinful opinions and belief." "O, my dear papa," sobbed Leila, "indeed I cannot; my belief is firmer, stronger than ever." "Then, my child, it is my duty-you must leave me as I said. To-day I will write to my brother at -; while you are there I shall have no direct communication with you; all that is necessary will be made known to me by your uncle. Till he answers my letter, I shall see you no more." (p. 174.)

With a broken heart she bowed to the decision, and was sent to her uncle's. The latter was a Jew of the stricter sort; and, zealous for the law, and for what he thought the honour of his family, he exercised over Leila a close supervision ; carefully removing from her all religious books, except Jewish ones, and never allowing her to attend a Christian place of worship. No one can read of the petty mortifications to which

she was subjected, and at times, the insults she endured, without a feeling of indignation. But all was useless; none of these things moved her. She only grew in her attachment to the faith. Her uncle tried to convince her by argument, but speedily found himself obliged to beat a retreat. The young champion of Christianity completely discomfited the advocate of Judaism. Other means were tried to undermine her religious principles, and balls, parties, &c., were put in requisition as auxiliaries. All, however, was in vain. She resisted successfully the cunning stratagem by which her faith was sought to be betrayed; and as a consequence of her refusal, her uncle and aunt commenced a series of persecutions the most irritating and disgraceful. She had, however, one sympathizing friend in the family, in the person of her male cousin, who had been struck with the noble and Christian spirit she displayed, under insults that would have stirred up most minds to a positive resistance.

Some rabbis were at length summoned by the uncle to argue with Leila, and for seven hours did she maintain a controversy with eight of the chiefs of her nation, with "no friend but God and her Bible, no help but her memory." Once more the Christian maiden triumphed; and, finding at length, that her religion was not to be shaken by anything they could say or do, the smouldering fires of their ill-concealed rage burst forth. "God hath done with thee," exclaimed a rabbi; "He hath spoken to thee, blaspheming apostate, by the mouth of us His servants, for the last time. I tell you," said the rabbi, "we have proved to you from our writings, that Jesus of Nazareth was an impostor and seducer; that the Messiah has not yet come. You have hardened your heart; we will hear no more." "Sir, it is too much to say you have proved it. For the honour of my Divine Master, I must declare the truth-you have not done so; yourselves know it. You have said nothing really convincing; you have brought forward no sound evidence this you must surely feel, unless you have forgotten the nature of what you have said. My weak self could, with the help of God, have refuted all I have heard to-night against the Messiahship of Jesus." What follows can scarcely be credited. "Wilt thou then deny it, young incorrigible? Wilt thou put all present to the lie? Then, on God's behalf, I smite thee;" and he struck her upon the cheek. The other rabbi rose: "Miss T——, I ask you once more, and it is the last time, will you still believe in Jesus of Nazareth as your Messiah?" "I do-I will-I ever shall; and I hope soon to be in heaven with Him." "Ha!" sneered an elder, and the

same moment he spat in her face. Leila buried it in her handkerchief. "Then," said the rabbi, "I pronounce that your name is cut off from your nation; that it is blotted from under heaven." (pp. 196, 197.)

Then followed the curses, and an order to leave her uncle's house, lest she should corrupt his family. This was done; and she took up her abode with a Christian friend, who resided near her uncle, and so escaped further persecution. From this place she communicated with her father, who had remained in profound ignorance of the abominable treatment to which his child had been exposed. A letter soon came from him to Leila, affectionately inviting her to return to him, and filled with expressions of indignation, at the unmanly conduct of the chief actors in the persecution she had endured. Eager to repair the evil that had been done, her father followed his letter, and at once took his child back to her beloved home.

"Under the tender lavishment of paternal affection, her spirits appeared to recover their wonted vigour, and a fresh glow of health to course through her veins, and suffuse her cheek. But it was only the stimulus of old and dearlycherished enjoyments, which produced this effect. Consumption had set its deadly hand upon her, and in a few months she triumphantly passed through the valley of the shadow of death, and was laid beside her mother in the silent tomb. Death she had long anticipated, and he found her fully prepared."

From the pen of a friend, who in a short time followed her to glory, we have the touching account of Leila's last hours. Her heart ever seemed to cherish the belief that her father would become a Christian. So fervently had she prayed for this one absorbing desire of her soul, that an irresistible conviction of its ultimate realization possessed her. Was there not here a compliance with the command of Christ, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them "

"I have been thinking," said she to her friend one day, "of my dear father a great deal; I am sure that God is powerfully working upon his heart. He often converses with me upon my religion, and upon Jesus; and I can plainly perceive that his prejudices have given way, and that he is inclined to regard the Christian religion as the true religion, after all. O, that God may continue this delightful work, till the glories of heaven shall crown what grace has begun!"

This prayer was answered. Her anxiety, however, rested not here; there were others whose salvation she earnestly

desired, and after directing that a Bible should be given to each relative she named, she added, " Say, too, I most earnestly beg of each to read them, and pray over them, and to obtain all possible help to a knowledge of the Christian religion. And, tell them, that with my latest breath I testified Christ is precious; that He was with me-pre-eminently with me-while passing through the valley of the shadow of death; and that through faith in Christ I was victorious over death, and the grave; and died in full, perfect assurance of eternal bliss. But be sure of this, that it was all through the death of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

"The following day she requested that pen and ink might be brought to her. Affectionately clasping her Bible, she looked once more upon those parts which she had marked, as having given her special encouragement and enjoyment; then, being supported, she took the pen in her dying hand, and tremulously and disjointedly traced upon the fly-leaf, the last words she ever wrote: Christ is heaven.' Blessed truth! Hail, my sister spirit! Thou now wilt prove, to all eternity, that Christ is heaven!"

The last moment at length arrived, and her broken-hearted father stood by her bedside, scarcely able to speak to hi scnild, from the intensity of his emotions. "Do not grieve for me, my dear papa," she said, soothingly, "if you are faithful to God, you will soon be happy with me in heaven." "Then, my precious treasure, you are not deceived! You feel that your religion fully supports you in death?"

"O yes! O yes! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil-His rod-and His-" she could proceed no further. Her father, bending with grief, retained her hand in his. In a little while she gathered strength: "Father," she enjoined, "you love me dearly, do you not?" "My child, do not speak so to me; you know you are the very soul of my existence."

"Will you grant me one request,- -a dying request?" "What is it? You know I will not deny you!"

"It is this, that you will never again doubt Jesus my Saviour; but that you will begin to love and serve Him. O, think, my dear father, what He has done for me? Read the New Testament;" and she looked inquiringly.

"My dear, I have begun to read it. I have seen that your religion must be true. I never expected to witness a death like yours, my daughter. I have begun to pray; you pray too that God will help me to follow you to heaven. I believe, my dear; I confess to you and all present, that I believe in Jesus."

"The sudden revulsion of feeling was too great for her weak frame. She was just able to articulate, 'Blessing-praise-’ and then lay exhausted.

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Again she unclosed her eyes, and looking upon her father with a smile of indescribable pleasure, said-Blessing, honour, praise, and glory to Jesus; kiss me, dear papa.'

"Shortly after, she exclaimed, Glorious hope! immortality! eternal life! What an eternity! an eternity of perfect love! When you have my name put upon our tomb, be sure that you put this, "Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." I hear the voice, "The Master is come, and calleth for thec." My whole soul responds, "Even so, come Lord Jesus." I am full of glory!"

A little after she ejaculated, Victory! victory!' and raised her dying arm. After a few moments she cried, 'Heaven is-heaven is-.' The rest was lost. She laid quietly for about an hour: then gently putting out her hand,. she said, 'Farewell, my dear papa, I am going to glory. Serve Jesus-you will soon be there.'

"These were the last words she uttered. Her eyelids closed. For a few minutes she breathed softly and slowly, and thenthe solemn stillness of death.

"Her father has now joined his beloved child in the realms of bliss. Her death was a shock from which he never recovered. He survived her but eleven months. He left behind him an indubitable testimony that he had gone to glory. He died in sure and certain hope of a resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ his Saviour."

Calm as the close of a summer's cloudless day, was the scene in this dying chamber, where the peace and blessedness of heaven seemed to have enwrapt the spirit of the Jewish maiden, before she had thrown off the garments of mortality. Most triumphant was the evidence there afforded that a trust in the merits of the atonement of Jesus of Nazareth takes away the sting of death, and wrests the victory from the grave. Oh, that every daughter of Abraham might, like Leila, know that peace and joy which spring from believing! Faith in Jesus. makes the feeblest and most timid bold as a lion in the cause of truth; and gives to the feminine character an indescribable charm, which attracts and affects more than physical beauty, because it is a spiritual loveliness that will never fade away. This faith strengthens and sanctifies all social relationships; beautifies and invigorates filial piety and parental affection; lights up as with beams of celestial glory the dim and hushed chamber where the spirit of a Christian is passing away; gives