Enough of this,' replied Sadoc,' for a hint from you is more likely to do me good than a long lecture; and now tell me what our old nurse has been relating to you. I do not know how it is, but with all her fancies and wearisome particulars, I still love her tales.'

You love them,' said Miriam, 'partly because you love her, and have been used to her. But her stories would long ago have lost their charm, if they had not always been founded on truth, and related with a strict agreement with human nature. It is always pleasant to know what any people really think, however absurd their thoughts may be. But in this case, she was giving an account of a miracle performed by Jesus of Nazareth, of which she was herself a witness.'

Sadoc. Well then, dear Miriam, do tell me all she told you; for I am sure that no particulars can fail to be interesting.'

Miriam. You had better come over to her yourself: she will be delighted to tell the story over again.'

They did so; and, after due objections raised on the part of the old nurse, to doing what she was well pleased to do, Sarah began as follows:

Sarah. 'It was about eighteen months ago that I went to a city of Galilee, of the name of

The

Nain, to see a cousin of mine, who lived near a poor old widow, who had an only son. young man had been ill for some time before, and the misery of the poor woman was excessive. She had bred up this child in the hope that he would one day prove the support and comfort of her old age; for her means were very small, and she had diminished them considerably in order to supply her only son with the means of education. But it pleased God otherwise, and a few days after my coming there he died. As the old widow lived near the place where I was residing, and was well acquainted with the people of the house, I, as well as the other neighbors, was called in to take my share in the preparations for the funeral, which, poor soul, was of the very humblest description, since the widow could little bear even the ordinary expenses of the ceremony. When I arrived at the house, I joined with the rest of the women in washing the body and laying it out, covering it with flowers and sweet-smelling plants, for they could not afford to buy spices. The poor woman had sent some of her friends to see if they could prevail on the pipers and women mourners to attend the funeral; but they demanded so much money, that the poor creature was obliged, unwillingly, to omit this part of the ceremony,

though she anxiously desired to pay every honor to her child. There was, however, so strong a feeling on the part of the neighbors, that the funeral cry and lamentations were, if not quite so loud and vehement as usual, at least as heart-rending, and much more sincere. There were, indeed, no pipers as the procession moved towards the grave; but the procession itself, and the sadness of the followers, loudly called on every one who was passing to take part in a funeral office. The loud cries of the mourners were by no means indistinct or uncertain, and many strangers joined in the train and increased the wailing. We did not require any pipe to tell even those in the houses that the procession, which was passing through the street, was of some one who was loved, and honored in his death.'

It

Sadoc. Surely such tokens of affection and sincere grief are much more valuable than all the hired tumult of mourners and pipers. may be very gratifying to the relations of the deceased to observe all who meet them join in the ceremony, and to hear the prayers and weeping of those from within the houses mingled with their own as they pass: but when such proofs of love arise from the music which accompanies the pomp, the constrained nature of it takes off entirely from the pleasure. The mother, I presume, was the chief mourner.'

Sarah. 'Yes, her mouth was covered with the veil of sorrow, but the loud and deep sobs which she uttered almost forced the bandage from her lips, and showed the upper part of her face; but her grief was too sincere and real to make her care for that, which others might have deemed an unbecoming circumstance in a mourner. She had few friends, for she was a lone woman in the world, and her only tie on earth was gone. Still, as I said, her case was so pitiable, that all the neighbors seemed sincerely to condole with her, and many of them had prepared the bread of men and the cup of consolation, in order to present them to her after her return from the grave, and when the violence of her grief should somewhat have passed away; but through the merciful kindness of your new Teacher, this was not necessary.'

'Alas,' replied Sadoc,' he was not my Teacher then. Then I still turned a deaf ear to his instructions, and weighed not, and cared not for his miracles. But pray tell me what he did.'

Sarah. Why, as they were passing through the gate to carry out the corpse, he, accompanied with many followers, was approaching the city, and seemed to feel for the sorrows of the mother, and came up to her and said, 'Woman,

weep not.' The tone was so mild and gentle, that the interruption, even at this unseasonable moment, could not offend, and the poor woman's heart was comforted even in her tears. Then he went up to the bier, and, removing the cloth from the body, ordered the young man to arise. He spoke with all the gentleness of the kindest mourner; but it was with an authority which touched the hearts of all, and filled every bosom with gratitude and awe, when they beheld him who was dead sit up, and as it were again take his place among the living. I wish. I could describe to you properly the mother's joy. But who can even imagine the joy of such a person? It was her only son, and she was a widow.'

6

Sadoc. Would to God that I had seen all this, for this would have convinced me at once: but thanks be to the Almighty that I have learnt even now to trust in him. And why should I say that this would have convinced me? Have I not lately seen whole crowds of people, who saw the rising again of our friend Lazarus, whose hearts are still hardened against the belief in Jesus?'

Nay, rather say,' replied Miriam, 'why need I wonder at others, when we find within ourselves such foolish passions still abiding, even though we have learnt to believe on him? Yes, I confess that this story and your argu