and mercy in that region of despair.
Then I preferred my petition, that God would write his name upon my
forehead, and give me that "new name" which should mark me as his; that
he would bring William into the fold, and do with me as he would. I
would be content to spend my whole life in any labor he should appoint,
without a sign of the approval of God or man, if, in the end, I and
mine should be found among those "who had washed their robes, and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb."

I fell asleep--slept hours--and when the sun was setting, woke in
perfect peace. My proposition had been accepted, and wonderful grace,
which had given what I had not dared to ask, assurance of present
acceptance. I should have all the work and privation for which I had
bargained--should be a thistle-digger in the vineyard; should be set to
tasks from which other laborers shrank, but in no trial could I ever be
alone, and should at last hear the welcome "well done."

I arose as one from a grave to a joyous resurrection; but kept all these
things in my heart. Personal experiences being altogether between God
and the soul, were not considered fit subjects for conversation, and
when I came before the session applying for church, membership, no
mention was made of them, except as a general confession of faith.

Rev. Andrew Black addressed the table at which I sat in my first
communion, and said:

"The Lord's Supper has been named the Eucharist, after the oath taken by
a Roman soldier, never to turn his back upon his leader. You, in
partaking of these emblems, do solemnly vow that you will never turn
your back upon Christ, but that you will follow him whithersoever he
goeth. Let others do as they will, you are to follow the Lamb, through
good and through evil report, to a palace or to a prison; follow him,
even if he should lead you out of the church."

This was in perfect harmony with my private agreement, and no other act
of my life has been so solemn or far-reaching in its consequences, as
that ratification of my vow, and it is one I have least cause to repent.

However, it brought a new phase to an old trouble. How should I follow
Christ? I could not do as he had done. I could not go to meeting every
Sabbath, and society every Friday; and if I did, was that following
Christ who never built a meeting-house, or conducted any service
resembling those now held? I read the life of Jonathan Edwards, and
settled back into the old Sabbat