hope; and to-day a martyr with a green palm and golden vestment,
worshipping before the Throne. But yesterday the slave of Satan, and
spending herself on the vanities of time; and to-day drinking of the
never-cloying torrents of bliss everlasting. But yesterday one of a
number, a grain of a vast heap, destined indiscriminately for the flame;
to-day one of the elect souls, written from eternity in the book of life,
and predestined to glory. But yesterday, hungry and thirsty, and restless
for some object worthy an immortal spirit; to-day enjoying the ineffable
ecstasy of the Marriage Feast and the espousals of Emmanuel. But yesterday
tossed about on a sea of opinion; and to-day entranced in the vision of
infallible truth and immutable sanctity. And yet what was she but only one
instance out of ten thousand, of the Almighty and All-manifold Grace of
the Redeemer? And who was there of all of them, there assembled, from the
most heroic down to the humblest beginner, from the authoritative preacher
down to the slave or peasant, but was equally, though in his own way, a
miracle of mercy, and a vessel, once of wrath, if now of glory? Only might
he and all who heard him persevere as they had begun, so that if (as was
so probable) their trial was to be like hers, its issue might be like hers
also.

St. Cyprian ceased; and, while the deacon opened the _sindon_ for the
offertory, the faithful took up alternately the verses of a hymn, which we
here insert in a most unworthy translation:--

"The number of Thine own complete,
Sum up and make an end;
Sift clean the chaff, and house the wheat,--
And then, O Lord, descend.

"Descend, and solve by that descent,
This mystery of life;
Where good and ill, together blent,
Wage an undying strife.

"For rivers twain are gushing still,
And pour a mingled flood;
Good in the very depths of ill--
Ill in the heart of good.

"The last are first, the first are last,
As angel eyes behold;
These from the sheepcote sternly cast,
Those welcomed to the fold.

"No Christian home, no pastor's eye,
No preacher's vocal zeal,
Moved Thy dear martyr to defy
The prison and the wheel.

"Forth from the heathen ranks she stepped
The forfeit throne to claim
Of Christian souls who had not kept
Their birthright and their name.

"Grace formed her out of sinful dust;
She knelt a soul defiled;
She rose in all the faith and t