enabled to do so. This afternoon I arrived at Heimersleben, the small
town where my father lives. Once more then I have met with my dear
aged parent, who is evidently fast hastening to the grave, and seems
to me not likely to live through the next winter. I arrived just at
the time when, the Fair was held in the town. How great, how
exceedingly great, the difference in me, as to my feelings respecting
such things now, from what they were formerly!

April 25--28. Stay at Heimersleben. The Lord has given me both an
opportunity and grace to speak more fully, more simply, and more to
the heart of my father about the things of God, and in particular
about the plan of salvation, than I had ever done before. I trust
that, in judgment at least, he is convinced that there is something
lacking in him. All the time of my stay here he has been most
affectionate. I spoke also fully again to my poor brother, who is now
completely living in open sin. Oh to grace what a debtor am I!---Brother
Knabe, who was the only believer in Heimersleben, as far as
I have been able to learn, died about eighteen months since.

April 28. Today I left for Magdeburg. My father accompanied me about
eight miles. Both of us, I think, felt, when about to separate, that
we were parting from each other, never again to meet on earth. How
would it have cheered the separation on both sides, were my dear
father a believer! But it made my heart indeed sad to see him, in all
human probability, for the last time, without having Scriptural
ground for hope respecting his soul.--I arrived in the afternoon at
Magdeburg, and went to a brother, a musician in one of the regiments
of that fortress, who is on the point of leaving the army to go to
the East Indies as a Missionary. In his lodgings I saw another
brother, a private soldier, who lives in the barracks, who told me,
on my enquiring, that he goes into the sand cellar, which is
perfectly dark, in order to obtain opportunity for secret prayer. How
great the privileges of those who may freely have both time and place
for retirement; but how great, at the same time, our obligation to
improve these opportunities!---This evening at eight I went on board
an Elbe-steamer for Hamburg.

April 30. This morning at seven I arrived at Hamburg. Nothing
particular happened during the passage, except that we stuck fast, in
a shallow part of the river, through the carelessness of one of the
sailors; but the Lord heard prayer, an