CHAPTER ELEVENTH.

THE PEARL GATE.

We can see the ripening toward Heaven in many of the later entries of Elizabeth Fry's journal.

"Sixth Month, 25th.-A week of considerable occupation: Second-day the British Society Committee; an interesting meeting with those beloved ladies; so much oneness of heart and purpose, a delightful evidence of the sweetness of Christian unity, and how those who differ in secondary points may agree in the essential one, and be one in Christ. We have cause for thankfulness in the excellent arrangements made by Lord Stanley for our poor prisoners in Van Diemen's Land; he appears so carefully to have attended to the representations we made respecting the evils existing there and to have proposed good measures to remedy them."

During this week she attended the Quarterly Meeting of Friends at Hertford. This was the last time that she left home expressly on religious service. But wherever she went, she was the same wise counselor and loving comforter. In July she wrote:

"Last First-day was one not to be forgotten; much of the morning without clouds. My dear brother and sister Buxton were at meeting. I felt it my duty to encourage the weary, and enlarged upon our foolishness, yet now the

Lord is made unto His people wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. There were some who appeared much impressed. Through the whole of that day, and into the next renewed peace rested upon my spirit.

"As the month passed on," says her biographer, "Eliza beth Fry showed increasing symptoms of illness, the consequence, doubtless, of bodily fatigue and mental exertion, the effects of which were severely aggravated by a chill from sitting one evening in the garden at Upton Lane."

This induced her to visit Landgate, in company with her sister-in-law, of the same name, also in declining health, to obtain the benefit of sea air. While here she wrote:

"I have at times passed through a good deal of conflict and humiliation in this indisposition, and it is a real exercise of faith to me-the way in which I am tried by my illness. I suppose it arises from my extremely susceptible nerves that are so affected when the body is out of order as to cast quite a veil over the mind. I am apt to query whether I am not deceiving myself in supposing I am a servant of the Lord, so ill to endure suffering, and to be so anxious to get rid of it; but it has been my earnest prayer that I might truly say, 'Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.' Lord, help me! I pray that I may be enabled to cast all my burthen and all my care upon Thee, that I may rest in the full assurance of faith in Thy love, pity, mercy and grace."

"After several distressing weeks she was moved to Tonbridge Wells, closely and faithfully nursed by her two youngest danghters." But the change was unavailing, and she returned to Upton near the end of September, and remained confined to her sick chamber during the winter of 1842 and '43. Her bodily sufferings were very great, but her soul had its hiding-place.

"Upton, Tenth Month, 10th.-My God hath not forgotten to be gracious, or shut up His tender mercies from me. It appears to me that all of nature is to be brought low, for what is of the Lord only can stand the day of humiliation. I may thankfully say, I am quiet and sustained in spirit, but do not often know peace to flow as a river, as at some former times. Still help is constantly near from the sanctuary, though I abide under a sense of deep unworthiness before the Lord; but what can I do but wait in faith until He be pleased fully to clothe me with the garments of His righteousness and His salvation? I feel I can do nothing for myself."

"One afternoon when some members of her family were reading with her, she was unable to attend to a very interesting religious biography, saying 'it is too touching to me,-too affecting.' She added, after a pause, 'How I feel for the poor when very ill; in a state iike my own, for instance, when 'good' ladies go to see them.-Religious truths so strongly brought forward, often injudiciously.' She went on speaking on this subject and then dwelt on 'the exquisite tenderness of the Saviour's ministrations;' 'His tone and manner to sinners.'

"Soon afterwards she resumed, in the most impressive manner, saying that 'religious truth' was opened to her and supplied to her, 'inwardly, not by man's ministration but according to her need,' adding, 'if I may so say, it is my life.'

"She frequently spoke of not being called to active service now, and that she had no desire as to recovery; on the contrary she was 'able quite to leave it.' Frequently she repeated to those about her, I feel the foundation underneath me sure.'

"One evening she opened her heart on her deep and earnest desires for the good of her children: of her 'great sufferings greater than any one knows-that if they were to last no one could wish for her life; but soon added

there is one thing I would willingly live for-the good of my husband and children and my fellow creatures.'

"On the night of October the 25th, her spirit was remarkably strengthened to declare her faith and hope in God. She quoted many passages of Scripture to prove that faith must work by love, and that faith, if true, must produce works. She said with the text, He that keepeth my saying shall never see death,' take this one also 'He that believeth on me shall never die.' She afterwards expressed, in a tone of deepest feeling, her 'perfect confidence,' her 'full assurance that neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea ture, should be able to separate her from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ, our Lord,' adding, my whole trust is in Him, my entire confidence.'-'I know in whom I have believed, and can commit all to Him who has loved me and given Himself for me; whether for life or death, sickness or Lealth, time or eternity.'

"In the course of the same day she said very emphatically to one of her daughters, I can say one thing-since my heart was touched at seventeen years old I believe I never have awakened from sleep, in sickness or in health, by day, or by night, without my first waking thought being how best I might serve my Lord.””

This prayer is among the few remaining entries in her Journal:

"Lord! undertake Thyself for me; Thy arm of power can alone heal, help, and deliver; and in Thee do I trust and hope, though at times deeply tried and cast down before Thee; yet, O Lord' Thou art my hope, and be therefore entreated of Thy poor, sorrowful, and often afflicted ser vant, and arise for my help. Leave not my poor soul des. titute, but through the fulness of Thine own power, mercy

and love keep me alive unto Thyself unto the end! that nothing may separate me from Thy love, that I may endure unto the end; and when the end comes that I may be altogether Thine, and dwell with Thee, if it be but the lowest place within the gate, where I may behold Thy glory and Thy holiness, and forever rest in Thee. I do earnestly entreat Thee that to the very last I may never deny Thee, or in any way have my life or conversation inconsistent with my love to Thee, and most earnest desire to live for Thy glory; for I have loved Thee, O Lord, and desire to serve Thee without reserve. Be entreated that through Thy faithfulness and the power of Thy own Spirit I may serve Thee unto the end. Amen."

The following notes are from the Journal of her son William who, notwithstanding he was now anxiously caring for his mother, and watching for the "veiled ferryman," preceded her, by more than a year, in the final crossing.

"The evening of the 29th was one of the greatest suffering and distress; such as I never remember to have witnessed. But through all her faith was triumphant and her confidence unshaken. I endeavored to remember a few of her expressions and have succeeded in calling to mind the following:

"I believe this is not death, but it is as passing through the valley of the shadow of death, and perhaps with more suffering, from more sensitiveness; but the Rock is here; the distress is awful, but He has been with me.'

"I feel that He is with me, and will be with me, even to the end. David says 'why hast Thou forsaken me?' I do not feel that I am forsaken. In my judgment I believe this is not death, but it is as death: it is nigh unto death.' She frequently expressed fears of being impatient. May none of you be called to pass through such a furnace; but