the house, I found the young man who was in such distress the night before, very happy in mind, and giving glory to God for pardoning mercy. After the young man had done relating his experience, Elder Foster arose and said, "My hearers, through God's assistance I shall point out to you all the road you are in; whether you are bound to heaven or hell," and quoted this text: Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it; and broad is the road that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." He set forth the glori ous path to heaven, leading through the trials and temptations of this world and death and the grave, up to heaven and a glorious immortality.. I plainly saw I was not bound that way. He then set forth the situation of those in the broad road to destruction; that they followed their own wicked desires, and the imagination of their own sinful hearts; refusing his merciful calls; and when his judgments were sent to turn them about, the sinner would make promises and break them, refuse his gospel, resist his Holy Spirit, till at length death with all its grim terrors would seize their mortal frame, and they at length go down to hell.

I then plainly saw myself in the broad road; I thought his discourse was to me. I had broken my promise on a sick bed, in times past, and all my sins were then in order before me, and I must soon turn or die. From this meeting I returned again to my sister's house, with a wounded heart. I rested but little that night. The next morning I wanted to ask my friend to pray for me, but my proud heart and stubborn will kept me back. Soon after I set out on my way to Taunton, my mind was weighed down with a heavy burden. In the evening Lentered the work-shop, and my shop-mates soon began to question me about my visit if I had a good time with the young people I went to see. I tried to be as cheerful as possible, fearing my companions would discover I was serious; but as I was naturally of a very lively turn, and full of jesting, they soon discovered the change in me, and aid, he is going to be religious, and we will laugh

him out of it; and from day to day, much was said and done, to get me to give it up. One day as I was by myself, the enemy suggested these things to my mind: you are now at the right age to take comfort in this world, and have many young acquaintances; but if you become religious, you must lose their company, and be despised by them, and counted an outcast from their society; and besides, there is no reformation in the place, and you had better give up seeking religion until you are twenty-one years of age-and then you can go where there is a reformation and get religion, and the way to get rid of your serious impressions, is to go to the first party of young people that meet for pleasure, and be as lively as ever, and you will no longer have your gloomy thoughts. I immediately fell in with temptation, and did accordingly. I went directly against my conscience into gay young company, on purpose to wear off conviction, and by this means became more hardened in sin than ever. I thought then nothing should move me to seek religion until I was twenty-one years old.

About two weeks after this, a man came from my native town to see me, and informed me of the work of God in that town, and that many of my young friends and particular associates had experienced religion, and that they had sent by him their respects, wishing me to make them a visit as soon as possible, for they had a great desire to see me converted. This unexpected news wrought powerfully on my feelings; for a few weeks before this I was with them, and was ashamed to let them know I wanted religion. But said I, they are converted, and I am left to hardness of heart, by striving against the Spirit of God.I begun to cry out, in the language of Paul, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? I was for a little time in such distress of mind it seemed I could not live. All my sins like mountains appeared before me, and the voice of justice, like thunder, cried, Cut the rebel down. It seemed as though I was guilty of the sin which was the means of the damnation of all the miserable; and that sin of refusing and resisting the Spirit, if contin

now,

ued in, was the sin against the Holy Ghost, and to persevere in this way, against light and knowledge, was incurring guilt which could not be forgiven, either in this world or the world to come.

But at this time a little hope began to rise in my mind that one more call to me was granted, and if I was faithful to attend, and hear and obey this call, I might possibly be saved; for it appeared to me God's Spirit was then striving powerfully with me, and he had declared in his word, his Spirit should not always strive with man.

I then looked back on my past life, and saw from a child I had refused that Spirit which was sent to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; and I had barred the door of my heart against the Spirit; that my Savior had stood and called unto me, but I had replied, Go thy way till a more convenient season; but hear your last call, and prepare for eternity-life and death are before you take a decided stand-and no longer halt between two opinions.— Thus the Lord seemed to speak to me. I then gave up to seek the Lord with all my heart, resolving that I would never desist, but would go crying for mercy, even if I should be cast off at last. These exercises took place about the going down of the sun of a very dark and cloudy day. At half past 8 o'clock I left my work at my bench to find some solitary place to pray. As I entered the street, I heard the sound of a fiddle, at a hall on the opposite side, which was occupied for a ball room. The once pleasant instrument of music had now lost its sweetness to me, and the sound of rolling thunder at this time would have been more delightful to me. I passed the hall and said, O Lord, turn the minds of the young people, that this hall may yet be the house of prayer and for religious worship. It came to pass in a short time after. I then passed the hall and entered a lot, and with trembling steps moved slowly on until I came to the corner of the lot. fence crossed one way and a ditch the other. My distress was at this time so great, that my natural strength was in a great measure gone. I stood for a few min

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utes trembling before the Lord, while the heavens over my head were in blackness by a thick cloud, and such darkness that I could hardly discover what was before me, and the streaming rain descending. I then reflected that the eyes of Him who pierceth the darkest cloud, were upon me, and that he knew the desires of my heart. I then kneeled before him and prayed, O Lord thou wouldst have been just if thou hadst cut me off years before this, and sent my soul down to the regions of darkness forever. But O Lord, as thou hast seen fit to spare my life to see this night, O be merciful to me a sinner; show me the worst of my case, and may I have repentance unto life. O Lord, help me that I may never turn back from seeking thee, and help me to overcome all temptations, and the sin that most easily besets me. And O Lord, I most solemnly make my vow, through thy assistance I will from this time never cease praying, until I find the pardon of m y sins, if it is not until my latest breath.

I continued to go to this place for several days after, and pray. But one day I had labored, and being very tired,something seemed to say, what use is it for you to go to yonder lot and pray to-night? You know that many times your prayers don't reach higher than your head; and if you go to-night, it will do no good. I then entered the house, to retire to my bed. I had part of my clothes off, when something in me seemed to say, will you give up praying, and break the solemn vows you have made? No, I will go this night and pray before I sleep. I put on my clothes again, and went and kneeled down in the snow bank. Feeling the piercin north wind, it reminded me of my dear Savior; wh once prayed all night on the cold ground, while hi: lovely countenance was bathed in tears of sweat an blood, and his locks filled with cold drops of dew.At this time I prayed, O Lord, if consistent with thy will, let me have some evidence that my prayers are heard by thee; and if there is mercy for me,let me wher I return to the house, take the bible, and the firs chapter I open to, may I read something that wil, give me encouragement to hope in thy mercy. I open

ed to the 4th chapter of I. Peter: the 12th, 13th and 14th verses gave me much encouragement. They read as follows: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

The next day while at work, this text of scripture came to me, Matt. v. 12:-Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. I believed I could then say from my heart, Lord, - hou knowest that I do hunger and thirst after rightousness more than anything else. The next day I pent in reading and prayer, but found no relief in nind. The next, which was the 10th of January, 1815, ny mind through the day was in a despairing frame in iew of my past life. About 8 o'clock in the evening, vhile standing at my bench, I concluded I was given ver, and misery and despair must be my lot forever. The time had been that I might have had religion; but then it was too late. Here I sunk down in tears, and sorrow overwhelmed my sinking soul. While in this distress, I heard as it were a soft and pleasant voice saying to me, Behold the lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world: And then was presented to my mental view the dear,Savior, fromh is birth to his death. He seemed one of the most innocent looking persons ever beheld by mortal eyes; and in every sense he represented the lamb, particularly in his innocence and love. And for this reason John called him the Lamb of God. And as he was offered on the cross, and there tasted death for every man, I thought if his love was so great as to come into this world and undergo such unparallelled sufferings, and then die to save the chief of sinners, there was hope for Ime, as I felt willing to obey all he required in his gospel. I then viewed him on the mercy seat, and he