This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ...Have we not seen them happy, exceedingly happy, in the time of their deepest affliction? Yes, when every thing of a temporal nature seemed to be against them, they have been enabled to say with the prophet--" Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine: the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall; yet will I rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation." Thank God, for that religion which can sustain us in the day of severest trial, and give us rich consolation amid scenes of deepest worldly sorrow! Which can lighten the heaviest burden, and sweeten the bitterest cup, and brighten the darkest scene; yea, which in the hour of deepest affliction, can give us " a young heaven begun below, and glory in the bud!" "The people here, will say," said the late venerated Moses Hoge, when dying in Philadelphia, away from his home--" the people here will say, ' Poor old man!' Why," exclaimed he, " I am the happiest man in Philadelphia!" " My dear sister," said I to a beloved member of my church, who was near her end--" my dear sister, how do you find yourself this morning?" Grasping my hand, with much emotion, she replied, "My dear pastor, I am in pain, in great pain; but O," continued she, " I am happy! I am happy! O, I am so happy!" "Jesus can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are!" O, let me but have grace to prove my own work--let me only have clear scriptural evidence that I am a Christian--a real Christian--a true child of God, and I am free to say, for one, I can be happy on a bed of straw--on a bed of affliction! on the rack! on the wheel! bound to the stake! or amid the flames of...