passage, II Chron. 5:13, 14; Mr. Burns preached twice, morning and evening.  His views of divine truth are clear and commanding.  There is a great deal of substance in what he preaches, and his manner is very powerful,—­so much so, that he sometimes made me tremble.  In private he is deeply prayerful, and seems to feel his danger of falling into pride.

“I have seen many of the awakened, and many of the saved; indeed, this is a pleasant place compared with what it was once.  Some of the awakened are still in the deepest anxiety and distress.  Their great error is exactly what your brother Horace told me.  They think that coming to Christ is some strange act of their mind, different from believing what God has said of his Son; so much so, that they will, tell you with one breath, I believe all that.  God has said, and yet with the next complain that they cannot come to Christ, or close with Christ.  It is very hard to deal with this delusion.

“I find some old people deeply shaken; they feel insecure.  One confirmed drunkard has come to me, and is, I believe, now a saved man.  Some little children are evidently saved.  All that I have yet seen are related to converts of my own.  One, eleven years old, is a singular instance of divine grace.  When I asked if she desired to be made holy, she said, ’Indeed, I often wish I was awa, that I might sin nae mair.’  A.L., of fifteen, is a fine tender-hearted believer.  W.S., ten, is also a happy boy.

“Many of my own dear children in the Lord are much advanced; much more full of joy,—­their hearts lifted up in the ways of the Lord.  I have found many more savingly impressed under my own ministry than I knew of.  Some have come to tell me.  In one case a whole family saved.  I have hardly met with anything to grieve me.  Surely the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me.  I fear, however, that the great Spirit has in some measure passed by,—­I hope soon to return in greater power than ever.  The week meetings are thinner now.  I will turn two of them into my classes soon, and so give solid, regular instruction, of which they stand greatly in need.  I have not met with one case of extravagance or false fire, although doubtless there may be many.  At first they used to follow in a body to our house, and expected many an address and prayer by the road.  They have given up this now.  I preached last Sabbath twice, first on Isaiah 28:14-18, and then on Rev. 12:11, ‘Overcame by the blood of the Lamb.’  It was a very solemn day.  The people willingly sat till it was dark.  Many make it a place of Bochim.  Still there is nothing of the power which has been.  I have tried to persuade Mr. Burns to stay with us, and I think he will remain in Dundee.  I feel fully stronger in body than when I left you.  Instead of exciting me, there is everything to solemnize and still my feelings.  Eternity sometimes seems very near.

“I would like your advice about