girls, was much above my station, and very different from that which
becomes an humble sinner, who has a modest sense of propriety and
decency. The state of my mind was visible enough from the foolish finery
of my apparel.

"At length the clergyman gave out his text: 'Be _ye_ clothed with
humility' (1 Pet. v. 5). He drew a comparison between the clothing of
the body with that of the soul. At a very early part of his discourse, I
began to feel ashamed of my passion for fine dressing and apparel; but
when he came to describe the garment of salvation with which a Christian
is clothed, I felt a powerful discovery of the nakedness of my own soul.
I saw that I had neither the humility mentioned in the text, nor any one
part of the true Christian character. I looked at my gay dress, and
blushed for shame on account of my pride. I looked at the minister, and
he seemed to be as a messenger sent from heaven to open my eyes. I
looked on the congregation, and wondered whether any one else felt as I
did. I looked at my heart, and it appeared full of iniquity. I trembled
as he spoke, and yet I felt a great drawing of heart to the words he
uttered.

"He displayed the riches of Divine grace in God's method of saving the
sinner. I was astonished at what I had been doing all the days of my
life. He described the meek, lowly, and humble example of Christ; I felt
proud, lofty, vain, and self-consequential. He represented Christ as
'Wisdom;' I felt my ignorance. He held Him forth as 'Righteousness;' I
was convinced of my own guilt. He proved Him to be 'Sanctification;' I
saw my corruption. He proclaimed Him as 'Redemption;' I felt my slavery
to sin, and my captivity to Satan. He concluded with an animated address
to sinners, in which he exhorted them to flee from the wrath to come, to
cast off the love of outward ornaments, to put on Jesus Christ, and be
clothed with true humility.

"From that hour I never lost sight of the value of my soul, and the
danger of a sinful state. I inwardly blessed God for the sermon,
although my mind was in a state of great confusion.

"The preacher had brought forward the ruling passion of my heart, which
was pride in outward dress; and by the grace of God it was made
instrumental to the awakening of my soul. Happy, sir, would it be, if
many a poor girl, like myself, were turned from the love of outward
adorning and putting on of fine apparel, to seek that which is not
corruptible, even t