“After sermon we witnessed a most affecting scene; two female members rebuked and restored to the communion of the church.  Never, never did our dear Mr. M——­ shine so bright in my eyes; many tears were shed.  I knew nothing of it, and wondered to what he was leading, when he addressed the congregation, after sermon, upon Christian walk, watchfulness, and temptation, and the distress occasioned in Christian society when any of the members were left to fall into open and aggravated sin.  Such was the case in our own congregation:  two, naming the offenders, had been so far left; but while deeply wounded by the sin and scandal, he was consoled by their penitence:  he assured the congregation that they had given great evidence of deep contrition; and were now come forward to acknowledge their crime before their offended and grieved brethren, and to give all the satisfaction in their power, by submitting to the censure of the church in this public manner, which, although painful to him, he must pronounce according to God’s appointment.  ‘Them who sin before all, rebuke before all.’  He then asked them to rise; scarce an individual turned to look; many were weeping while he laid before them their guilt in strong, yet tender terms; and finished by expressing his approbation of their thus submitting to the rod, and exhorting them to humility and redoubled watchfulness.  Then again he addressed the members, requesting them to receive into their Christian love and affection their repenting, returning sisters; that they would treat them with tenderness, and restore them in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves as also in the body and subject to temptation.  ’Let no one put them in remembrance of the sin which the Father of mercies has blotted out, nor open those wounds which he has closed,’ ’He doth not chide continually, nor retain his anger for ever.’

“May the Lord bless the discipline of his church; may he meet us to-morrow with multiplied pardons:  may he melt our hearts to contrition, heal our backslidings, and manifest himself as married unto us; may he bring us into his banqueting house and his banner over us be love; may his grace be magnified and his name glorified; and may he send a portion to my dear children—­yea, a Benjamin’s portion; may he open wide the leaves of that new testament, and let them read their rich inheritance and rejoice in their portion.

“Farewell, my dear children.  The Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and cause his face to shine on you, prays your affectionate mother.”

The following to the same, was written while on a visit to a worldly friend: 

“MAY 21, 1801.