The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and of Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.'

As the evening was now far advanced, after singing a suitable hymn, they joined in prayer, and retired for the night.

CHAPTER V.

EARLY the next morning, after breakfast, the Methodist preacher left for Lexington, to attend the Conference. Soon all hands were engaged in making preparation to go to the meeting in the neighborhood, of which in a former Chapter we spoke. The horses were all ready, the day was fine, and along the road many persons had already passed, and the prospects were favorable for a large attendance. Some had come from a long distanee, and the whole country was alive for miles around. Radcliffe and his family with the preacher soon left, and as they had but a little distance to go, they soon reached the appointed place. The gathering was large but on the first day of the meeting they could be accommodated in the house. The young preacher

was present, and ready to afford any assistance needed, both in singing and exhortation.

As was customary on such occasions, one or two appropriate songs were sung, in which the whole congregation united. The air was mild, the woods and the fields were green, and the quiet stillness which pervaded all nature, was in harmony with the occasion. There was nothing in the appearance of the preacher to excite interest. His heart was overflowing with love to the Saviour, and zeal for the promotion of his cause; but there was no great depth of learning, no sublime and impassioned oratory, no well-sounded and studied sentences; and yet there was a strength in his reasonings, a pungency in his appeals, and a power in the Gospel which he preached, that was felt throughout his congregation. He dwelt on the love of God, the condescension and sacrifice of the Saviour, the worth of the soul made in the image of God, the design of God, in the Gospel, to restore that image, and the immediate call for submission to the government of Christ. The effect was irresistible; all felt it; and

the good seed sown that day was reaped in an abundant harvest. Each one felt that he had something to do, that he was the centre around which and for whom all things were made. The sun, the moon, and the stars; birds, and beasts, and creeping things; the seasons-all nature gave interest and value to his soul; and chiefly, that one offering made for the sins of the world had invested him with a value which would bankrupt the universe to redeem. He preached hope to the desponding, conciliation to the alienated, and salvation to the lost; and in the name of the Redeemer offered these unspeakable blessings to all who would partake of them.

The result of the meeting on the first day was, that several persons came forward and confessed their faith in Jesus, as the Son of God, and promised submission to his authority.

As the day was nigh spent, in order to give opportunity for all to reach their homes, the meeting was dismissed, with an appointment for the next day at eleven o'clock. In the meantime, the

preacher, with Radcliffe and family, returned home, well pleased with the efforts made, and the fruits they had gathered.

The afternoon was spent in looking over certain portions of the farm; in admiring the beautiful woods and pasture lands, and fine imported stock grazing in them; in visiting the fine spring of water that gushed from the limestone rocks, a short distance from the dwelling; and in rambling near the running brook that winded through the farm, ́ cheered by the tinkling bells of the choice flocks of sheep on the slope of the hill, the lowing cattle wending their way homeward for the milk-maid; and the songs of the cat-bird and oriole that perched in the trees; and as evening was now advancing, along the stream the melancholy notes of the whippor-will fell upon the ears at intervals, until they reached the hospitable home of Radcliffe.

The evening was spent in cheerful conversation, and in recounting the scenes of the day; and after the ordinary religious exercises of the family, they retired to seek refreshment and rest for the night.