manifestations of His grace through this young person. In the economy of
grace there is neither male nor female; and Peter says (Acts, ii. 17)
that the Spirit of the Lord shall be poured out and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy. Yet if we consider that the Son of God, as to
his human nature, was made of a woman, it leads us to see that in
matters of grace God sets a special value on woman's nature and designs
to put special honor upon it. Accordingly, there have been in the
Church, in all ages, holy women who have received the Spirit and been
called to a ministration in the things of God,--such as Deborah, Huldah,
and Anna, the prophetess. In our own days, most uncommon manifestations
of divine grace have been given to holy women. It was my privilege to be
in the family of President Edwards at a time when Northampton was
specially visited, and his wife seemed and spoke more like a glorified
spirit than a mortal woman,--and multitudes flocked to the house to hear
her wonderful words. She seemed to have such a sense of the Divine love
as was almost beyond the powers of nature to endure. Just to speak the
words, 'Our Father who art in heaven,' would overcome her with such a
manifestation that she would become cold and almost faint; and though
she uttered much, yet she told us that the divinest things she saw could
not be spoken. These things could not be fanaticism, for she was a
person of a singular evenness of nature, and of great skill and
discretion in temporal matters, and of an exceeding humility, sweetness,
and quietness of disposition."

"I have observed of late," said Mrs. Scudder, "that, in our praying
circles, Mary seemed much carried out of herself, and often as if she
would speak, and with difficulty holding herself back. I have not urged
her, because I thought it best to wait till she should feel full
liberty."