en I have had proof of
how utterly unable we are to take care of ourselves. Among the many
blessings and advantages I have enjoyed is that of having had parents
who taught me to pray, and not to be ashamed of praying. At school,
when some poor, weak, foolish boys were afraid to kneel down by their
bedsides to say their prayers, my brothers and I always persevered in
the practice; and very soon we put to shame those who tried to interrupt
us--and not only we ourselves, but other boys who did the same, were
from that time never interfered with. Sure I am that our prayers were
heard, and that the blessings we prayed for in earnestness and
simplicity were given us. When we rose from our knees we found our
courage much increased. The occasion had made us serious, and reminded
us of our duties. I wish that it had been always so, that it were still
always so; but even now as I write, I feel how much day after day I have
left undone of what I ought to have done. Is it not so with all of us?
Then what necessity is there for prayer for strength from above to
enable us to do our duty. I say again, don't be ashamed. Pray always;
and if it is for your good, what you ask with faith God will most
assuredly give you. He has said it, and his promises never fail.

Night was now approaching, but we could yet see no prospect of our
escaping from our present position. The darkness, as it came on, served
to brighten the effect of the fire; and as we gazed round on every side,
as far as the eye could reach, we could see only the bright glare of the
conflagration as it went on widening its circle round us. Now and then,
as it reached spots more thickly covered with clumps of tussac grass, we
could see the flames rushing upwards in pyramids of fire; but in other
places a dense fierce glow could alone be perceived as the fiery wave
receded from us. The sight we beheld was certainly a very grand one,
and not easily to be forgotten; but our position was far from pleasant,
and we would thankfully have found ourselves on board the schooner, or
even in the boat under shelter of a sail. Our clothes were scorched,
and so were our hands and feet; we were getting very hungry, and no fuel
remained to enable us to cook our provisions, while now that the fire
was removed from us the sharp wind made us feel very cold. When we
considered the small area of the rock which had been at one time like an
island amid the fiery ocean, we had more reason