I not live two weeks?"
She was told that she could not live two weeks. And such a scene of
horror followed as I never before witnessed, and may God be pleased to
grant that I may never witness such another. Until laid upon a dying
bed, I fear that she had neglected to think about her soul's concerns.
Now she requested to be taken from it, and placed upon her knees, that
she might call upon God to have mercy upon her. As her case excited much
attention, some of the youth came to see her. These she warned, in the
most solemn manner, not to put off repentance, as she had done, to a
dying hour. Looking up at me, on one occasion, she exclaimed, "Doctor,
cannot you save me?" Alas, what could I do for the poor sufferer.
Witness, now, how anxious she was to obtain the favor of that God whom
she had hitherto neglected. Yes, so anxious that she requested her
friends not to allow her to sleep, that she might spend every remaining
breath in calling upon God to have mercy upon her. One very affecting
circumstance occurred. She requested her trunk either to be brought to
her bedside, or to be opened. From this a ring, which was set with red
garnets, was taken out by herself, or by another, and handed to her. She
then called a young friend to her bedside, put the ring upon her finger,
and said to her, "Don't you put off repentance, as I have done, until a
dying hour." That ring is now in my possession. In less than forty-eight
hours after I told her that she could not live, she passed into
eternity. Would that I could show you that mournful countenance, which
continued long after the last spark of life had become extinct; yes,
even up to the moment when the lid of her coffin for ever hid it from
our view. Never, never shall I forget it. It was a sad monument of the
wreck within.

Now, my dear children, you would not like to die as, I fear, this young
lady died. Well, then, if you would die differently, you must live
differently. You must live for Christ, if you would die in Christ. And
are you Christ's, or are you yet gay and thoughtless--as gay and as
thoughtless as this young lady was, until laid upon her dying bed? If
you are so, and if you continue to remain in this sad condition, your
season of sorrow too will certainly come, and it will come when you
expect it not. As the little insect which flies round and round your
candle is dazzled with its brightness, and feels nothing but pleasure,
until it unconsciously strikes the blaze