I

F I see an old man, trembling with age, walking on the causeway forty or fifty yards from his own door-step, I feel relieved when I see him guiding himself by the rails until he has reached his own door again, and some loved one from within comes to help him up the step. I have some such feeling when I see an old pilgrim, weary, and as it were with trembling steps, making for the brighter and better land.

Old Zebedee conducted his last public service on earth when old Kitty and a few others found a welcome in Jesus. He was helped home that night, but he was unspeakably happy. Very soon he became as weak as a child, and never went beyond his garden. It became evident that his race was nearly run, and that another from our little Methodist Society was about to leave us. John Wesley said, 'Our people die well.' Tens of thousands of Methodists have died well, because they lived well. Old Zebedee had lived well, and felt calm in mind, if feeble in body, at the approach of death.

One Saturday evening, as I was sitting by the side of the old Christian, enjoying his rich and ripe experience of religion, while he told of the dealings of his Heavenly Father and the certainty of entering into the rest eternal, he said, 'Aubourn, I know I am not long for this world, but for me to die is gain. Before I go, I have a few things to say, and it will be best, perhaps, to say them this evening. I have known you from a child, and my life very much resembled yours up to a certain age; but since I have been in Hathercott, I have been very reticent respecting my early surroundings and circumstances. This has given rise, at times, to a great deal of surmising; and I have thought of late I ought to prevent such a thing for the future. If you should think proper to disclose what I am about to relate of myself and my life after I am gone, you will be at perfect liberty to do so.

The name I have been known by in this parish and circuit for the last fifty years is not an assumed one. I am the only son and child of parents long since numbered with the dead; and, being an only child, I was kept at school until I was thirteen years of age, and then I was apprenticed to a shoemaker. From a child I was full of fun, and remarkable for a high flow of spirits, as we often hear people call it when a lad is unusually mischievous. In a very short time after leaving home, I became a thoughtless, wild youth. My parents supplied me with pocket-money rather liberally for a youth in my circumstances, a thing that parents should never be guilty of. It is putting temptation too near, to supply a boy liberally with money before he knows its value, or that it may become a curse. Aubourn, many parents, through mistaken kindness, help their children to

pursue an evil course. I soon became addicted to gambling, and that, as you are aware, means associating with evil companions and keeping late hours. Very often I was late in returning to my master's house at night. Sometimes I was the worse for drink. I very soon became careless about myself and my master's interests. My parents expostulated with me, and told me how much my conduct pained them; but it was all in vain, I grew worse and

worse.

'One evening I returned to my master's later than usual. Many unpleasant words had passed between us before that evening; but on that occasion blows were exchanged. The fault was mine. My master gave me a good thrashing; I deserved it. I left the house that same night, and have never seen it since. I made for the nearest port, and on reaching it, which I did about twelve o'clock next day, I engaged with a captain to serve on board a merchant vessel that was sailing that same evening for South America.

'It will serve no good purpose to take you through the history of my seafaring life. I spent ten years as a sailor, sinking lower and lower; and I doubt if ever a worse man went on board a ship than Zebedee Staines. I had many narrow escapes, but no fear of God before my eyes; and with a recklessness that has many times made me shudder, I indulged in those things the end of which is death.

'My passion for gambling increased, and in less than twenty-four hours after reaching port I have been penniless, and obliged to tramp the country and beg for a living until I could find employment on board another vessel.

'I had been going on in that way for ten years,

or nearly so, when, through the interposition of Divine Mercy, I was stopped in my ruinous career. One evening, the day after we had docked our vessel for unloading in the port of Bristol, I was going along one of the streets, and, what was an unusual thing with me when on land and with money in my pocket, I was free from the effects of drink. It was in the summer time; and, seeing the people going into a place of worship, I, scarcely knowing what I did, or why, went in with them. It was a preaching service, and the congregation was good for a week evening. Aubourn," the old man said, 'I knew something of Methodism. I had been taught in a Methodist Sunday school, and before I had been in that Wesleyan chapel ten minutes, I had been home, been to the Sabbath school where I had heard "the old, old story of Jesus and His love;" I had gone through those years of sin and wanderings from home and God.

'I knew but little of what the preacher said or did, until he announced his text, and then my attention was riveted. The words were the precious portion of truth from which I spoke to you a few weeks since in our chapel, when old Kitty laid her burden. on the Saviour-Glory be to His dear name !--"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." No sooner had the words fallen on my ears, than I pictured myself standing before the superintendent of the school, reciting that same chapter from which the preacher had selected his text. I know nothing of the sermon; I did not at the time. I sat there until I could sit no longer. I felt a faintness coming over me. I left my seat; but how I reached the door I know not. I heard a voice saying, "Come unto Me.”

It was not the preacher's. Where did that voice come from? It followed me. I got back to my berth in the ship as fast as I could. Still I heard a voice saying, "Come unto Me." I threw myself into my hammock, and tried to drown the voice in sleep; but I could not sleep. I heard the preacher's text, God's word, ringing in my ears, "Come unto Me." My restlessness increased every moment, and it became so intensified that I could not remain in my hammock. The crisis in my history had come; I felt that I must pray or perish. I did pray. Hour after hour passed away before I could throw myself on the Crucified; but before I rose from my knees, I was made conscious of His pardoning love.

'I went another voyage. On our return, we put in at Liverpool, where I was paid off. With the little money I had been able to save during the last voyage, I purchased a few shoemaking tools, and started in the mending line; for that was about all I had learnt of the trade. I remained in Liverpool nearly two years; but not caring for the bustle of that rapidly rising town, I travelled from one place to another until I reached Hathercott. As soon as I saw this lovely village, I felt as though my wanderings had ceased, and here I must live and die. I took lodgings with an old couple living in this house; they soon died, and here I have lived ever since. Soon after I came, I began to exhort, and in due course my name appeared on the Plan. My work is done, "I am ready to" depart.'

As I was about to take my departure, he said : 'Ask Charles to call in as soon as convenient.' I and Charles Garfield, in company with our minister, paid the old man a visit on the following Monday