“The Lord be praised; I am glad to hear it,” said Paul, one day, as he sat by the bedside of uncle Jacob, who was now in the last stage of his disease.  “Paul,” said the dying man, “while I was robust, and independent in means, I relied too much on these gifts of God, and too little on the Giver of them.  But now, when this frail wall, that shuts the soul in from her world of kindred spirits, is nearly worn down, and the glorious light of eternity shines through the chinks of this earthen rampart, in all directions I see the necessity of having the soul prepared, thoroughly washed, before she goes into a world of such purity and justice; and you have convinced me, or, rather, God has taught me, that it is only in that religion of which God alone is the Author that the means of purification can be found.  So, Paul, in God’s name, take a team, and go for the priest of God immediately; there is no time to be lost.  ’Tis consoling to reflect that there is a priest of God now to be had on earth, as well as in the days of the ancient patriarchs.  How merciful God was,” said he, soliloquizing, “in leaving us on earth a priest, a representative of his divine Son, to prepare the soul for the terrible voyage of eternity!  All eternity is not too long to thank him for this blessing.”

Paul communicated the wishes of his dying brother to Mr. Ephraim Prying, who answered, “Certainly, Paul; why not?  Go for the priest; take the best team—­that black mare, there, is the fastest traveller.  O my poor brother, why will you leave us?” said he, as he rushed up to his brother’s bed room.

It soon went abroad that uncle Jacob was at the point of death; and all the friends and many neighbors were assembled around the bed, and among others Mr. Barker, the Methodist preacher, who thought, as the Presbyterian dominie’s nostrums were rejected by Jacob, his own, as being more novel, might have the desired effect.  And though these several ministers were jealous each of the influence of his neighbor, yet any thing with them was preferable to the priest.  Let uncle Jacob turn Turk, Jew, or Heathen, any thing but a Papist, and the six sectarian teachers of the village of S——­ were content.

“Now, brother Jacob,” said his roaring reverence, after a long-winded prayer, in which he professed to command great influence with the powers above, “how do you feel?  Tell us your experience, and what you see.”

“I am afraid, if I tell ye what I think and feel,” said the feeble invalid, “ye may not like to hear it, and I do not wish to give offence.  I have something else now to occupy my time besides talking for your entertainment.”

“O, by all means, brother,” said the reverend roarer, “tell what you experience; we will not be displeased, but I hope edified.  I have prayed earnestly to the Lord Jesus for thee, and he has answered me—­I have been heard.”