upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring, and they
shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses; one
shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name
of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and
surname himself by the name of Israel."

* * * * *

Original.

THE PROMISE FULFILLED.

"Leave thy fatherless children with me, and I will preserve
them alive."

How often has this promise been offered in the prayer of faith at the
mercy-seat, and proved a spring of consolation to the heart of a pious
widowed mother! In the desolation caused by the death of the husband and
father, who was the helper, counselor, and guardian in reference to
spiritual as well as temporal interests, and in the deepened sense of
parental responsibility in the charge now singly resting upon her, how
often and readily does the widow cast herself upon the sure and precious
promise of the covenant, "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after
thee." In the faith of this her heart imbibes comfort, her prayers
become enlarged and constant, and her efforts become wisely directed,
and steadily exerted, in behalf of the spiritual interests of her
children. When we carefully observe such cases, we shall find proof that
the blessing of the God of grace peculiarly rests upon the household of
the pious and faithful widow. God, in the truth and promises of his
Word, takes peculiar notice of the widow and the orphan, and his
providence works in harmony with his word. The importance and efficiency
of maternal influence in every sphere of its exercise cannot be too
highly estimated, but nowhere does it possess such touching interest, or
such high promise, as the scene of widowhood. How would faith, laying
hold upon the truth of the following promise, and securing its proper
influence in all appropriate labors, realize the fulfillment of the
blessing: "This is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; my Spirit that
is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not
depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of
the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and
forever." Isaiah 59:21.

These remarks receive a new confirmation in the case of the recent
deaths of two young sons of MRS. JANE HUNT, widow of the late
Rev. Christopher Hunt, pastor of the Reformed Dutch church in Franklin