struggle. He died in his chair, and his countenance wore an expression approaching a smile.

"How many fall as sudden, not as safe."

His death occurred at his residence, in West Philadelphia, on First-day, the nineteenth of Fourth Month, 1885. If he had lived four months and eleven days longer, he would have been sixty-six years old. The funeral took place on the following Fourth-day, at Merion Friends' Meeting-house, and the large number that assembled to pay their tribute of respect to the departed, gave evidence of the esteem in which he was held. Many were there who lamented the loss of an eminently useful citizen, while, in the Society of Friends, it was felt that a prince in Israel bad fallen..

In the ministry, both branches of Friends were represented on the occasion, and the testimonies borne made a solemn impression upon the large assembly.

The interment took place in the ground adjacent to the meeting-house, where a number of his worthy ancestors had been buried.

As the company were dispersing, a relative privately quoted the text, "And they buried him. among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and toward his house."

The mature life of Samuel J. Levick came to a sudden— it would seem irreverent to call it untimely-close; and though lacking but a few years of the allotted period, he had

neither the appearance nor the manner of an old man, but retained a freshness and vivacity that seemed like perennial youth; so that, in the absence of dates, the observing stranger who met him on the street, the friend who engaged him in conversation, or the many who listened to his public discourses, would not have been surprised to hear him say of himself:

"I stand on life's meridian height."

The few days of his isolation from his many friends had not prepared them to part with him, or to regard as an invalid one who had been so active and so sprightly; hence, when they call up to view his beaming countenance and remember his strong personality, they think of him not as of one worn out in the service of life, but quietly released from his labors to receive the reward of "Well done."

CHAPTER VI.

CORRESPONDENCE.

NO DATE.

To M. G.

Dear Friend-After an evening passed in free and open converse on the nature of Truth, and on its workings, I feel free to write to thee that thou may know that I, Samuel J. Levick, do not feel that any good thing is of me, or that I have power to do or to think any good thing.

But I do know that it has pleased the Almighty God to give unto me a life which is not natural, and, therefore, not visible, which is of his own right-hand planting, and which, having come from Him, is pure, for He is pure. And, being of Him who hath all power, it—the life-has power over all other lives, over the life of sin, over all the powers of darkness. He, the Author of this life, is also the Preserver of it, for He keeps it and feeds it, and no man is able to pluck it out of my Heavenly Father's hand. Now, the world has not this life, neither has thou come to it in knowledge, or thou would know it to keep thee, as I have known, and do know it, to keep me. But I have travailed with thee in great tenderness and love, and my spirit has been dipped into feeling with thine, believing that it is the will of heaven to give thee to know of this life; also, that thou art loved of the Lord, and by me in this life; and my spirit travails with thee that this life may be brought forth in thee. Oh, then thou wilt witness the vail of the temple to be rent, and the everlasting covenant of life to be given

-a covenant that cannot be broken! The law will be written in the heart, and the Word will be nigh, in the heart and in the mouth. The old heaven and the old earth will pass away, and a new heaven will be opened where Christ sitteth, where his glory and power will cover thee, where thou will rest in the enjoyment of his glorious presence. Oh, that thou may "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!"

Now, the fear that rests with thee, as to the danger of the state alluded to, is groundless; for "pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." But they who are in the redeemed state, having parted with all their possessions, all of self, have nothing to be proud of. They are poor, having nothing of their own. This poverty is necessary to the receiving of the precious gift, and those who are not poor in spirit cannot have it bestowed upon them It is only the poor in spirit that are to possess the kingdom of heaven.

Now, this stripping which we are called to undergo, is that which brings us under trial; for it is hard to give up all, to lay all our crowns at his feet. But such are the terms. There is no other way. After having made the surrender, we find that He gives "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and for a spirit of heaviness the garment of praise." Those who are thus clad, thus endowed, are prepared to "mount up with wings as eagles," to "run and not be weary," to "walk and not faint."

I have felt it was right that I held up the excellency of this gift before thee and you, that you may all be encouraged to seek Christ, our Holy Redeemer, and receive Him in the way of his coming. There is, in the blessed Truth, a reality that is worth parting with all to receive. Oh, the rest, the peace, that is experienced when the true Sabbath-day dawns; that day which is blessed and sanctified of God, and to be kept holy unto the Lord. Be not anxious.