Though ignorant of the contents of the volume which God had thus given
them, they expressed many thanks to M. ---- for his generosity, and
were about to proceed on their way, apparently rejoicing, when M. ----
dismissed them by saying: "My friends, I feel peculiarly happy in thus
being the instrument of putting into your hands that volume which
contains the records of eternal life, and which points you to
'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' If you
faithfully read it, and imbibe its glorious and precious truths, and
obey its precepts, it will render you happy in this life, and happy
during the endless ages of eternity."

Having opened the case, M. ---- found that forty-nine Bibles and
Testaments had been thus distributed. Some of his fellow-passengers
were ready to believe that the box had been intentionally left open,
but M. ---- assured them that it had been carefully secured in the
usual manner, and that not until his arrival at the spot where
they alighted, had he known that any had fallen out. Having made
arrangements to have the case forwarded to the widow, and having
addressed to her a note informing her of his intention to proceed to
the large village of S----, where he proposed tarrying a few days,
during which time he hoped once more to visit her and her friends, M.
---- resumed his seat in the Diligence, and arrived at S---- the same
night. On the next day but one after his arrival, he was agreeably
surprised, at an early hour in the morning, to find the hotel where
he lodged surrounded by fifty or sixty persons, inquiring for the
gentleman who had, a day or two before, presented to a number of their
citizens THE BOOK, which, as they said, "contained a true history of
the birth, life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Others of them called it by its proper
name, the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All