To Mrs. H., August 1857.
My dearest Amelia,
"Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." He who sows to the wind
shall reap the whirlwind. He who sows to the flesh shall reap corruption. He
who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. "Oh that
they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their
latter end!" Faith often sows in tears; but he that thus goes forth and
weeps, "bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him."
In this our precious Christ has the pre-eminence. He was
the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He sowed the seed of the
kingdom in tears when He wept over Jerusalem; but before long He will
joyfully see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied, when He shall say,
"Here am I, and the children whom You have given me." Thus also it often is
with His people; they sow and water and watch with tears—but reap in joy;
while the carnal man sows with laughter and reaps disappointment. These
things we have both known by experience, for when our deceived heart has
turned us aside to the flesh, we had to feed on ashes, as our daily
sorrowful food.
May it be given you to stand still and see the salvation
of God, proving that the battle is the Lord's who will in very wonderful
ways fight against the flesh and its schemes, and disappoint its
enterprises—but will even in all these things make the new man more than
conqueror through Him that loves us. May your flesh have a new death, and
your spirit enjoy more glowingly the crown of life, through this sharp
exercise, and may the Lord bring out of the snare of the devil him who seems
now led captive by him.
You are doubtless compassing the walls by faith through
keeping silence until the day He shall bid you shout as Joshua 6:10, and
"lift up your voice," to "show my people their transgression, and the house
of Jacob their sin." (Isaiah 58:1) The Lord make you faithful to His word,
both in silence and in utterance, and enable you to care only for His honor,
leaving your own honor entirely in His hands, since He has said, "He that
touches you touches the apple of his eye."
Moreover, dear friend, this dark dispensation will be "as
a cloud with rain," if, by His power, it brings about a fresh lifting up of
yourself from all creatures, to see no man except "Jesus only." "Was I ever
a barren wilderness, to Israel a land of drought?" No, never! He is our
straight way through crooked circumstances, and our pleasant way through the
vexations of self and others. He keeps us alive in time of famine, for He is
our plenty in the midst of poverty.
The things which I taste and handle declare I unto you,
for deep abasings and continued emptiness are my experience. When I would
gather anything besides Him--most kind, most tender is it of Him to scatter
it; indeed I have cause to praise Him for heights and for depths, for in
both He has dealt wondrously for His holy name's sake.
I am glad to hear of your affairs, for though you be as a
"lily among thorns," yet they shall not really harm you. Our Beloved was
crowned with thorns, thus showing that He had gained the victory over them
for His bride, and now He just teaches her with the briers and thorns of the
wilderness. Many of your teachings and quotations are very sweet to me. I
have had the same view of love which passes knowledge, "for knowledge puffs
up—but love edifies."
I rejoice to hear that your beloved A— M— is a comfort to
you, and much more that she is brought under the easy yoke and light burden
of our blessed Savior. May she be whole-hearted with Him and for Him, making
no reserves; then will she largely foretaste that blessedness in Him which
the natural eye has not seen, or ear heard—but He has revealed it unto us by
His Spirit. Kind love to her.
The Lord bless you, make His way plain before you, and
grant that your cruse and barrel be daily renewed as your needs require.
"Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things." May your
erring friend be restored. (James 5:19, 20) Power belongs unto God, and His
kingdom is not in word—but in power. May a new day of power come to his
soul, for Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power. Fare you
well; may your place of defense be the munitions of rocks, where your bread
shall be given, and your water shall be sure.
With affectionate love in our one Beloved, yours ever in
Him,
Ruth