* Contributions to the Medical Mission Sick-Nurse Fund will be gratefully received by Mrs Sym, 37 George Square, Edinburgh.

Her heart had long been affected by rheumatism, but it was not till mid-summer, I863, that there appeared any symptoms of acute disease. On Friday, the 5th of June, she and her cousin took their last walk together. It was a calm summer morning, and they spent some hours at Braid Hermitage among the lovely woods and glens - Miss Wilson exceedingly enjoying the profusion of blossom, and listening with eager delight to her old friends, the cuckoo and wood-pigeon. But she looked fatigued, and in the evening there was such a deadly paleness on her face, that her cousin asked if she was not tired. "No, not tired," was her answer, "but I feel my heart." For a few days she remained quietly at home. On Saturday she received a good many friends, and saw her Bible woman, with whom she spent a long time .transacting business, so that in the evening she was much fagged and worn out. On Monday she employed herself arranging a drawer of insects, and, in spite of her cousin's entreaties, sent for a cab to take her to a mothers' meeting. It was a stormy day, wind and heavy rain, and as with feeble steps and pallid face she left the house, it was with unseen tears she was committed to His keeping, in whose service she was spending these last hours of activity. There was a large attendance at the meeting. She had begun to read the book of Nehemiah, and she spoke to the mothers on the duty and privilege of ejaculatory prayer whilst engaged in the bustle and cares of life. She was not seemingly the worse of these exertions, and in the evening read for a long time with much enjoyment the life of a kindred spirit, Amelia Sieveking.

On Wednesday, the 17th of June, during her cousin's absence, she set out on an attempt to visit her district. When a few yards beyond the gate she was seized with violent pain between the shoulders; but so anxious was she to visit the school, and take some little delicacy to a dying man, that she still struggled on, although frequently compelled by breathlessness to stop short, and once obliged to sit down on the Links. She reached the school, and was able also to pay a visit in George Square to her dear friend Mrs Sym; and thus for the last time entered the dwelling so hallowed by its associations with the beloved pastor and friend whose memory she so tenderly cherished, and the hope of reunion with whom was one of the joyful anticipations of life's last hours.

After this some days were spent in bed, and the months of July and August passed on in extreme weakness, with frequent distressing seizures of faint-ness and nausea, and, which she dreaded still more, hours of a death-like slumber. For fear of these painful sleeps she often avoided lying down when utterly exhausted. One night she requested to have the 91st Psalm read to her, as it contained promises of protection from "the terror of the night." As Iong as strength remained, it was her great enjoyment to be taken out into the garden. At first she was able to walk slowly; afterwards she was wheeled along in a garden chair. One of the last times she was out of doors she observed a rare moth, and sent into the house for a net in order to secure it - the last gleam of a ruling passion. She still read a great deal. Night and morning her Bible lay beside her, as well as "Hymns from the Land of Luther." With the beauty and originality of a small volume of poems by Jean Inglelow she expressed herself as much delighted, and she enjoyed Mrs Jameson's Sketches. Boston's "Crook in the Lot" lay beside her till nearly the close. Of one eye she had in the meanwhile lost the sight through weakness, but she did not allow it to interfere with her occupations, and only alluded to it as a matter of merriment. As in the days of her health she had been a matchless sick-nurse, so now in her turn she became a remarkable patient. Her great anxiety was to give the least possible trouble. The tones of her voice, unless when weakened by violent sickness, retained their wonted cheerfulness; she was as solicitous as ever for the comfort of every one under the roof, and when unable to go out herself would insist on her cousin going out into the sunshine : "I like to look through the window and see you walking;" and she would fain have so set the place in order, that it should look as bright as ever to survivors after it had ceased to know herself for ever.

Most likely for this reason - to avoid giving pain -she did not at first speak of the probable termination of her malady; but in the beginning of September the symptoms became much more urgent, and the friend whom she wished to be with her at the close of the pilgrimage was sent for. Mrs Sym came, and never left her till she was safe in the happy land where "the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick." But on the evening of Saturday, September 12th, the invalid was alone with her cousin, who had finished reading to her the 103d Psalm, and a few verses in the 10th chapter of Hebrews. She then began as if speaking of ordinary affairs, and mentioned the names of some friends to whom she would like her microscope, her insect cabinet, and similar personal remembrances, to be given; and after addressing words of comfort and advice to the beloved companion who had been to her so long as a younger sister, she added, "I do not fear to leave you all, for I know in whose care you are. The God who comforted us in '56 (the year when Mr Wilson died) will comfort still. It will be a very short time, and we shall be all together again." She next reverted to her uncle and her devoted attachment to him - "I never could have thought that I should be able to live seven years without him; but God would not permit me to rejoin him before weakening my idolatrous love and fixing it more on Himself. I have had a very happy life, and there is not much suffering even now. No one knows what it is till they come to be here.

Tell- [an aged friend] not to be afraid : she used to be timid; but the waters of Jordan will be very low when she has to cross."

From that evening onward she spoke constantly and cheerfully of the Father's house as one who was already near it, dwelling much on the finished work of the Saviour. "Yes," she said, " it is a finished work. All that I have to do is to lie down at the foot of the cross" The texts in which she delighted were such as these:- "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in nowise cast out;" "Looking unto Jesus;" "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe;" "He shall sit as a purifier and refiner;" "Wash me, and I shall be clean;" " When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee' One night she was told that a dear friend had sent in a note her favourite text, "Underneath are the everlasting arms" "Yes" she replied, "that 'bides. But remember, it is for the strong as well as the weak." On Sabbath, September 13th, she requested her cousin to repeat to her the hymn, "Rock of Ages," and that verse in the 73d Psalm:-

"My flesh and heart doth faint and fail, But God doth fail me never: For of my heart God is the strength And portion for ever;" on which she dwelt in a way that shewed it to be exactly descriptive of her own trust and feeling.

One day, when suffering much, the remark was made to her, "How sweet after this will be the blessed rest of heaven!" "Well," she replied, "it is strange: it is not rest I am thinking of, but work. I have been laid aside so long, I am longing for something to do." She was then reminded of the passages in the Revelation - " His servants shall serve him;" "They rest not day nor night," etc. Amidst her desire to depart and be with Christ, she was afraid of being impatient. "His time is best. I will wait His own time. Surely, however," she once added, " I may say, Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly; because that is His own word." She often repeated two lines from a German hymn -

"Suffer on, and hope, and wait, Jesus never comes too late."

One morning she said it had long been pleasant to her to believe that in a higher state of existence many of our present pursuits may be resumed and perfected. Reference was made to what Dr Candlish says in his "Life in a Risen Saviour." "Yes," site subjoined, " they are delightful sermons. Dr James Alexander has also some striking remarks on the same subject. I copied them out; and I can truly say that many of my employments here were followed out in the hope of resuming them in eternity."

All throughout her mind continued bright, and free from clouds and fears, and her only concern was the trouble which her feebleness occasioned to others. "After this you must take a long rest," she said to her cousin, who answered, " I would far rather work as you have done;" and when her attached servants were raising her in bed, she said, "I am a great bother," but added, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me." On the morning that she died she heard that a valued friend was ailing. She expressed much sympathy, observing, "I do not like to hear of people being ill. I like to hear of them well and cheerful, and going excursions."

About four in the morning of Saturday, September 19th, a great change was observed to come over her, and she appeared to be rapidly sinking; but she revived a little, and when asked about nine how she was, she said, "I have had a delicious night." Dr Duncan afterwards asked her if she was in pain. "Oh no, only drowsy, and quite happy." Nearly all day she kept hold of her cousin's hand, and, whether waking or sleeping, she often smiled brightly as if beholding what eye hath not seen. About five in the evening she repeated three or four times, "Come, Lord Jesus," and shortly after, from the arms of sorrowing affection, her ransomed spirit passed away.